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ELIX   MAR  in  i 


A   JOURNEY  OF  AN   ARCHITECT 


THE  NORTHWEST  OF  EUROPE. 


The  Architectural  Works  of  Viollet-le-Duc, 

-•^ 

Discourses  on  ArGhitecture',  By  E.  Viollet-le-Duc.  Trans- 
lated, with  an  Introductory  Essay,  by  Henry  Van  Brunt,  Fellow  Am.  Inst. 
Arch.    One  Volume.     Royal  octavo.     $8.00, 

"  We  are  glad  to  see  Part  I.  of  '  Lectures  on  Architecture  '  translated  from  the  French  of  E.  Viollet- 
le-Duc,  and  heartily  join  in  the  hope  that  those  who  cannot,  or  will  not,  read  the  original  work,  may 
find  a  fund  of  invaluable  instruction  in  its  pages.  The  work  is  famous  on  the  Continent  and  England, 
and  in  its  new  dress  should  be  welcomed  by  all,  especially  as  the  subject  is  treated  so  that  the  general 
reader  may  master  the  clearly  laid  down  principles  of  the  art,  and  by  their  means  attain  knowledge  of 
the  true  standard  of  criticism.  The  te.xt  exposes  the  fallacy  of  '  revival,' and  shows  that  the  repro- 
duction of  mere  forms  must  be  devoid  of  vitahty.  M.  le  Due  rather  amusingly  states  that  when  he 
set  to  work  at  the  opening  of  his  lectures  he  encountered  the  vigorous  opposition  of  a  learned  pro- 
fessor of  archxology.  So  it  is  in  France  ;  how  much  more  this  is  the  case  in  England  no  one  knows 
better  than  ourselves,  for  here  archaeologists  assume  art-knowledge  as  their  inherent  right.  The  text 
is  announced  to  contain  nearly  200  woodcuts  and  38  folio-sized  steel  plates  by  the  author,  and  how 
admirably  he  has  drawn  them  it  is  needless  for  us  to  say. "  — London  Athensom,  Sept.  9,  1876. 

"  Of  all  the  great  and  good  work  which  Viollet-le-Duc  has  done,  the  '  Lectures  on  Architecture ' 
must  take  rank  among  the  greatest  and  best.  So  splendid  are  they  in  thought,  as  well  as  admirable 
in  plan  and  perfect  m  execution,  that  they  demand  on  the  one  hand  as  much  attention  as  literary 
work  as  they  command  on  the  other  as  architectural  classics.  It  is  many  years  now  since  the  great 
artist  first  gave  these  lectures  to  the  world,  but  their  fame  is  unshaken  ;  they  still  stand  in  the  first 
rank  of  all  great  instructive  books.  ....  Even  those  to  whom  every  principle  or  term  of  that  division 
of  art  universal  which  is  called  architecture  is  unknown, will  find  an  incalculable  amount  of  pleasure  in 
the  perusal  of  these  lectures,  so  interesting  is  the  style  and  so  vast  the  information,  and  the  power 
of  conveying  information  of  the  author  ;  while  to  those  to  whom  the  laws  of  the  art  are  not  shut  in  a 
sealed  book  the  work  will  be  of  inestimable  value."  — Examiner,  Oct.  14,  1876. 

"  As  an  architect,  M.  Viollet-le-Duc  is  among  the  first  of  living  authorities  ;  as  a  thinker,  he  has 
breadth  and  originality  of  view  ;  as  a  writer,  he  has  a  subtle  and  almost  poetical  charm,  which  places 
the  reader  at  once  in  a  state  of  enjoyment,  and  makes  necessary  technicalities  not  only  tolerable  but 
agreeable."  —  Guardian. 

TbQ  Story  oi  ^  Housq.,  Numerous  Illustrations,  Plans,  etc.  i  vol. 
Medium  8vo.  Red  edges.  Cloth,  extra.  Price,  $5.00. 
"  There  are  two  classes  of  readers  who  will  be  disposed  to  welcome  this  book,  —  the  few  who  are 
about  to  build,  and  the  more  fortunate  man  who  likes  to  criticise  what  is  built  by  other  people.  Using 
a  pleasant  tale  as  a  framework  for  his  more  serious  matter,  M.  \'iollet-le-Duc  gives  the  nistor>'  of  a 
country-house,  from  the  choice  of  a  site  and  the  selection  of  materials  to  the  moment  when  the  owners 
enter  into  possession."  —  Ooardian. 

ThQ  Habitations  of  Man  in  All  Ag-es.     By  E.  Viollet-le- 

Dcc,  Author  of  "  The  Story  of  a  House,"  "Annals  of  a  Fortress,"  etc.  Trans- 
lated by  B.  BuCKN.\LL,  Architect.  With  over  100  Illustrations  by  the  Author. 
I  vol.     Medium  Svo.     Cloth  extra.     Red  edges.    Price,  $5.00. 

"  M.  Viollet-le-Duc  is   one  of  the  most  captivating  and  informing  of  writers As  we  have 

already  said,  the  value  of  this  book  lies  in  the  fact  that  it  unites  a  philosophy  of  human  progress  and 

culture  with  a  history  of  the  constructive  faculty  in  man It  is  a  book  which  may  be  read  by 

the  least  thoughtful  with  delight ;  by  the  most  thoughtful  it  will  be  found  supremely  suggestive  and 
stimulating."  —  Nonconformist. 


stimulatmg. 
'  By  the  s 
,ot  in  the 
'  At  once  a  valuable  handbook  and  a  very  charming  romance."  —  Pall  Mall  Gazette. 


"  By  the  same  means  he  has,  in  the  present  case,  presented  the  history  of  domestic  architecture, 
if  not  in  the  form,  with  all  the  attractiveness  of  a  romance."  —  Standard. 


Asnals   of  a   Fortress.,     Numerous  Illustrations  and  Plans  and 

Diagrams  by  the  Author.     Medium  Svo.    Cloth  extra.    Red  edges.    Price,  $5.00. 

^p^  In  this  work  ihe  author  traces  the  history  of  a  French  fortress  from  the  earliest 

times  to  the  present  day,  giving  a  most  graphic  account  of  the  many  sieges  it  under\vent 

and  of  the  fortunes  and  misfortunes  of  its  garrisons  in  different  ages,  the  whole  forming 

a  complete  handbook  of  the  art  of  fortification. 

"The  author  has  happily  combined  practical  information  with  the  interest  of  a  narrative."  — 
Builder. 

"  It  is  in  all  respects  admirable."  —  Scotsman. 

"  The  interest  and  value  of  the  work  lio  in  these  details  of  assault  and  defence Throughout 

one  feels  in  the  hands  of  a  master."  —  British  Quarterly  Review. 


***  Far  sale  by  all  Booksellers.      Sent,  post-paid,  on  receipt  of  price  by  the  Pub- 
lishers, 

JAMES   R.  OSGOOD  &  CO.,  Boston. 


NOTES    AND    SKETCHES 

OF  AN  ARCHITECT 

TAKEN    DURING  A  JOURNEY   IN  THE 

NORTHWEST  OF  EUROPE 

TRANSLATED 

FROM  THE  FRENCH  OF  FELIX  NARJOUX 

By   JOHN    PETO. 

Author's  Edition,  from  Advance  Sheets. 


WITH"    214    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


BOSTON: 
JAMES    R.    OSGOOD    AND    COMPANY, 

Late  Ticknor  &  Fields,  and  Fields,  Osgood,  &  Co. 

1877. 


University  Press  :  Welch,  Bigelow,  &  Co., 

Cambridge. 


PBEFACE. 


IT  has  long  been  thought  necessary  that  a  young  man  should 
visit  foreign  countries  in  order  to  complete  his  education, 
and  it  has  also,  from  the  earliest  times,  and  with  very  great 
propriety,  been  asserted,  that  foreign  travel  is  no  less  fitted  to 
develop  the  faculties  of  a  man  in  maturer  life ;  and  from  these 
maxims,  the  fruit  of  long  experience,  we  may  confidently  de- 
duce the  incontestable  and  undoubted  utility  of  visiting  other 
countries  besides  our  own. 

And  yet  a  taste  for  travelling  has  not  been  very  common 
among  us.  The  French  have  a  strong  objection  to  quit  "la 
helle  France''  —  some  from  an  unwillingness  to  leave  their 
homes;  others,  because  it  is  not  in  their  power.  But  all  are 
agreed  on  one  point,  that,  if  they  do  not  themselves  travel, 
they  ought  to  profit  by  the  descriptions  given  by  the  fortunate 
individuals  who  are  able  to  do  so. 

"VYe  are  therefore  performing  a  task  useful  to  our  fellow-men, 
when  we  record  the  events  of  our  wanderings.  But  all  the 
readers  of  this  class  of  books  are  unanimously  agreed  that 
those  which  excite  the  warmest  interest  and  from  which  they 
can  derive  the  greatest  advantage  and  satisfaction  are  illus- 
trated works,  in  which  a  great  number  of  plates  render  the 
narrative  more  intelligible. 


6  PREFACE. 


Therefore  we  have  travelled,  pencil  in  hand,  like  an  architect, 
making  sketches  wherever  we  have  taken  notes,  so  that  the 
illustrations  and  descriptions  should  afford  each  other  mutual 
aid. 

The  sketches  themselves,  besides  representing  the  larger  pub- 
lic buildings  erected  in  each  country,  which  serve  as  the  expo- 
nents of  its  greatness  and  of  the  degree  of  its  civilization,  give 
also,  and  more  especially,  an  idea  of  the  dwellings  of  private 
persons.  They  show  the  interiors,  and  the  less  conspicuous 
parts  of  houses  which  have  been  constructed  with  a  view  to 
meet  the  wants  of  the  inhabitants,  the  local  customs,  and  the 
requirements  of  the  climate. 

With  this  intention  we  have  sketched  the  internal  parts,  the 
decorations,  and  even  the  furniture  of  these  houses.  The  text 
itself  is  nothing  but  the  explanation  of  the  plates ;  it  shows  the 
relations  which  exist  between  the  customs  of  a  country,  the 
climate,  the  materials  employed,  and  the  dwellings  erected  by 
the  inhabitants,  —  dwellings  adapted  to  the  tastes  and  wishes 
of  their  proprietors,  and  in  which  they  find  comfort  and  delight. 

The  strange  and  sometimes  grotesque  aspect  of  the  manners 
of  a  people  is  thus  brought  under  consideration;  while  it  is 
shown  that  unusual  forms  of  construction,  and  the  manner  in 
which  they  have  been  worked  out,  have  been  necessitated  by 
these  peculiarities. 

"We  have  endeavored  to  interest  the  reader  by  describing 
countries  but  little  known.  Tourists  occasionally  indeed  make 
excursions  into  Holland,  but  most  of  them  are  satisfied  with 
visiting  the  Hague  or  Amsterdam,  the  cottage  of  Peter  the 
Great  at  Zaandam,  or  the  village  of  Broeck;  and  not  many 
travellers  venture  so  far  as  Hanover  or  Hamburg.     As  to  poor 


PREFACE 


Denmark,  the  names  of  but  few  Frenchmen  have  been  entered 
in  the  visitors'  book  at  Helsingoer  during  the  space  of  eight 
years. 

It  will  therefore  be  a  new  and  interesting  journey  which 
the  reader  may  make  with  us,  —  a  novel  excursion  among  people 
and  through  countries  of  whose  buildings  he  knows  nothing, 
or  which,  having  once  seen,  he  may  be  glad  to  visit  a  second 
time. 

FELIX  NARJOUX. 


Charly,  September,  1875. 


CONTENTS 


HOLLAND. 

MoERDYK.  —  Dordrecht. 

Page 

The  Country.  —  The  Meuse.  —  The  Town.  —  The  Cathedral        .        .     21 

Rotterdam. 
The  Groote-Kerk.—  The  Hospital.  —  The  Museum.  —The  Houses.— 

The  Delft  Gate 25 

The  Hague. 

The  Binnenof.  —  The  Town  Hall.  — The  Market.  — The  Houses.— 

The  Museums 43 

Scheveningen. 
The  Villas.  —  The  Church    .........     61 

Letden. 
The  Koornbrog.  —  The  Town  Hall 70 

Haarlem. 

The  Groote-Kerk.  —  The  Shambles.  —  Head-dresses     .        .        .        .74 

Amsterdam. 
The  Houses.  —  The  Nieuwe-Kerk.  —  The  Oude-Kerk.  —  The  Wester- 
Kerk.  —  The  Katolik-Kerk.  —  The  Crystal  Palace.  —  The  Amstel- 
Hotel.  —  The  Montalbans-Toren 87 

North  Holland 131 


10  CONTENTS. 


Utrecht 1"^^ 

FI^•E  Arts.  —  MA^-^-ERS.  —  Customs 15U 


GERMANY. 

HANOVER.  —  HAMBURG.  —  THE  DUCHIES. 

From  Utrecht  to  Hanover. 
The  Country,  the  Journey,  and  the  Travellers 161 

Hanover. 

I.  General  Appearance.  —  New  Streets.  —  The  Old  Town.  —  The  Rat- 

haiis.  —  The  Markt-Kirche.  —  The  Residenz-Schloss.  —  The  Opera- 
House.  —  The  Gymnasium.  —  The  Synagogue.  —  The  Schools      .  167 

Hanover. 

II.  The  Houses,  their  Furniture,  and  their  Inhabitants        .        .        .  206 

Hamburg. 

From  Haarburg  to  Hamburg.  —  The  Elbe.  —  Hamburg.  —  The  Alster. 

—  The  Jungfernstieg.  —  The  Old  Town.  —  The  Conflagration  of 
1842.  —  The  New  Town.  —  The  Public  Buildings.  —  The  Houses 
and  their  Inhabitants 254 

Altona. 
A  Funeral.  —  The  Kindergarten. — Altona.  —  Blankenesse  .        .        .290 
Heligoland 294 

The  War  of  the  Duchies. 

Preliminary  Remarks.  —  The  Austro-Prussian  Army.  —  The  Danish 
Army.  —  The  Lines  of  Danevirke.  —  Taking  of  Missunde.  —  Forti- 
fications of  Duppel.  —  Taking  of  Duppel.  — The  Island  of  Alsen. 

—  Conditions  of  Peace.  < — The  Prussians  during  the  Campaign      .  304 


CONTENTS.  11 


DENMAEK. 

Jutland.  —  The  Little  Belt.  —  A  Ferry-Boat.  —  A  Farm.  —  Funen.  — 

The  Great  Belt.  —  The  Island  of  Zealand 323 

Copenhagen. 

I.  General  Aspect 346 

Copenhagen. 

II.  Kongens-Nytorv.  —  Amalienborg.  —  Ronde-Kirk.  —  Frue-Kirk.  — 

Christianborg.  —  Rosenborg.  —  Exchange.  —  Crystal  Palace.  — 
Hospital.  —  Schools.  —  Frederiksborg.  —  The  Old  and  New  Forti- 
fications   354 

Copenhagen. 

III.  The  Museums.  —  Thorwaldsen  Museum.  —  The  Museum  of  North- 
ern Antiquities.  —  The  Ethnographical  Museum    ....  374 

Copenhagen. 

IV.  The  Danes.  —  The  Theatres.  —  Amusements 399 

Copenhagen. 

V.  The  Dwellmg-Houses 409 

Elsinore  (Helsingcer). 

The   Copenhagen   Station.  —  The   Country.  —  Elsinore.  —  The  Town 

Hall.  —  The  Kroonborg 425 


LIST    OF   ILLUSTRATIONS. 


FULL-PAGE  ILLUSTEATI0:N'S. 

Fig. 

65.  Church  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  Amsterdam 

85.  Cathedral  Tower,  Utrecht ^ 

125.  Country  House,  near  Hanover         .... 

128.  Chimney-piece 

145.  Ground-plan  of  the  General  Hospital,  Hamburg     . 

157.  Bathing  Establishment,  Heligoland  (Section  and  View 

of  Interior) 

158.  Bathing  Establishment,  Heligoland 
175.  The  Chateau  of  Eosenborg,  Copenhagen 
181  to  185.  Trumpet  of  the  Age  of  Bronze 

209.  Town  Hall,  Elsinore 

213.  The  Kroonborg,  Elsinore 


tofc 


Page 
108 
144 
230 
236 
270 

300 
302 
362 
378 

428 
436 


WOODCUTS   I^  TEXT. 


1.  General  View  of  Dordrecht 23 

2.  Ground-plan  of  the  Groote-Kerk  at  Eotterdam   ....  26 

3.  Interior  of  the  Groote-Kerk .28 

4.  The  Groote-Kerk 29 

5.  Elevation  of  the  Hospital  at  Eotterdam  ......  30 

6.  Ground-plan 31 

7.  Enlarged  Plan  of  Sick-Ward 31 

8.  The  Ground-plan  of  the  Boymans  Museum,  Eotterdam       .         .  32 

9.  The  Boymans  Museum 33 


1-i  LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 

10.  Statue  of  Erasmus,  at  Rotterdam          .         .         .         .         .         .  34 

IL  House  in  one  of  the  Streets  of  Rotterdam 37 

12.  Ground-plan  of  a  House  at  Rotterdam.    Basement      ...  38 

13.  "  «  Ground-floor     .         .         .38 

14.  "                         «                       First  Floor    ...  38 

15.  Houses  on  the  Banks  of  a  Canal,  Rotterdam 40 

16.  The  Delft  Gate,  Rotterdam 41 

17.  The  Binnenof  atthe  Hague    .         . 44 

18.  The  Lottery  Hall  at  the  Hague .  45 

19.  Ground-plan  of  the  Senate  Hall  at  the  Hague         .        .         .         .46 

20.  Section                "                «    -         -  « 46 

21.  The  Town  Hall  at  the  Hague 50 

22.  Fish-market 51 

23.  Ground-plan 51 

24.  Vehicle  used  by  Country  People 52 

25.  Monument  in  jCommemoration  of  the  Independence  of  Holland  .  53 

26.  View  of  a  House  in  an  Avenue  at  the  Hague       .         .         .         .  54 

27.  Ground-plan  of  Private  House 55 

28.  Fii^t  Floor 55 

29.  Elevation 56 

30.  Ground-floor  of  Villa  at  Scheveningen 63 

31.  First  Floor 63 

32.  A  Staircase 65 

33.  Ground-plan  of  Church  at  Scheveningen 66 

34.  View  of  Exterior 67 

35.  View  of  the  Koornbrog  at  Ley  den 71 

36.  The  Town  Hall  at  Leyden  / 72 

37.  Ground-plan  of  the  Church  of  St.  Bavon,  at  Haarlem     .         .         .77 

38.  Interior  and  Organ-ca?e,  at  the  Church  of  St.  Bavon,  at  Haarlem  .  78 

39.  Stadthouse  at  Haarlem 79 

40.  The  Old  Shambles 80 

41.  The  Amsterdam  Gate  at  Haarlem 81 

42.  Head-dress  of  the  Women  of  Zuid  Hollande        ....  84 

43.  Head-dress  of  the  "Women  of  North  Holland 85 

44.  Dutch  Head-dress 85 

45.  Houses  in  one  of  the  Streets  of  Amsterdam 88 

46.  Elevation  of  a  House  in  the  Nieuwe-Mark,  Amsterdam       .         .  90 

47.  Plan  of  Ground-floor 91 

48.  Plan  of  First  Floor 91 

49.  Elevation  of  a  House  in  the  Calver-Straat,  Amsterdam  .         .         .92 

50.  Ground-plan  of  the  Frontage 92 

51.  Plan  of  Ground-floor       . 94 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTKATIONS.  15 

52.  Plan  of  First  Floor 94 

53.  Geometrical  Elevation 95 

54.  Houses  of  Business  at  Amsterdam.     Basement    ....         96 

55.  "  "  Ground-floor  ....     96 

56.  Geometrical  Elevation         . 97 

57.  External  View  of  the  Royal  Palace  at  Amsterdam  ....  100 

58.  Ground-plan  of  the  Oude-Kerk  at  Amsterdam     ....  102 

59.  View  of  the  Interior  of  the  Oude-Kerk 103 

60.  Ground-plan  of  the  Nieuwe-Kerk  at  Amsterdam         .        .        .  104 

61.  Section  of  Aisle 105 

62.  Ground-plan  of  the  Wester-Kerk  at  Amsterdam  ....  106 

63.  View  of  the  Wester-Kerk  at  Amsterdam 107 

64.  Ground-plan  of  the  Church  of  the  Sacred  Heart  at  Amsterdam   .  108 

66.  Tranverse  Section  of  Arches  of  the  Aisles Ill 

67.  Details  of  the  Timber-work  of  the  Spire 113 

68.  Ground-plan  of  the  Crystal  Palace  at  Amsterdam  .         .        .         .116 

69.  View  of  Exterior  of  Crystal  Palace 117 

70.  View  of  the  Interior 118 

71.  Amstel  Hotel.     Ground-floor 119 

72.  First  Floor 119 

73.  General  View  of  the  Amstel  Hotel  and  Neighboring  Buildings   .       120 

74.  A  Movable  Bridge  at  Amsterdam 122 

75.  Offices  of  Inspector  of  Weights  and  Measures,  Amsterdam  .        .       123 

76.  The  Montalbans-Toren,  Amsterdam 125 

77.  Reception-room  in  a  Farm-house  in  North  Holland    .         .         .       133 

78.  View  of  the  Exterior  of  a  Farm-house  in  North  Holland         .         .  134 

79.  Ground-plan  of  a  Farm-house 134 

80.  View  of  a  large  Farm-house    . .136 

81.  Ground-plan 136 

82.  Elevation  of  Artisans'  Houses  at  Enkuisen 140 

83.  "  "  140 

84.  Plan  of  the  First  and  Second  Stories  of  the  Tower  of  the  Cathedral 

at  Utrecht 143 

86.  Canal  at  Utrecht 147 

87.  Windmill 148 

88.  Railway-station  in  Germany 164 

89.  A  Corner-house  in  Hanover    .         . 171 

90.  House  in  Hanover       .        .         . 172 

91.  View  of  a  House  in  a  Square 173 

92.  Corner-house. in  Hanover 175 

93.  Ground-plan  of  angular  Portion 176 

94.  House  with  ancient  Gables  in  a  Street  in  Hanover      .        .        .178 


16  LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS 


95.  The  Ratbaiis,  Hanover 179 

96.  Ground-plan  of  St.  George's  Church,  Hanover   ....  182 

97.  View  of  the  Church   of  St.  George  and  its   Surroundings,  at 

Hanover 183 

98.  The  Opera-House,  Hanover 186 

99.  Gromid-phHi  of  Opera-House,  Hanover 189 

100.  The  Gymnasium,  Hanover 190 

101.  Ground-plan  of  Gymnasium 191 

102.  Plan  of  the  First  Floor 192 

103.  Section  and  View  of  Roof  of  Gymnasium 193 

104.  Interior  of  a  Church  in  ^gidien-stadt,  Hanover        .         .        .196 

105.  Ground-plan  of  the  same 196 

106.  Grovmd-plan  of  Synagogue,  Hanover 198 

107.  Transverse  Section 200 

108.  Exterior,  with  principal  Entrance 201 

109.  Plan  of  Ground-floor  of  Private  House 212 

110.  Plan  of  First  Floor 212 

111.  Semi-detached  Houses,  Hanover 214 

112.  Ground-plan  of  Private  House,  Hanover 215 

113.  View  of  Interior 217 

114.  Decorative  Pamtings 218 

115.  Ground-plan  of  a  Mansion,  Hanover     ......  219 

116.  Plan  of  First  Floor 220 

117.  Hall,  with  Staircase 221 

118.  Geometrical    Elevation    of   the  Fagade  of  a  Private   j\Iansion, 

Hanover .  222 

119.  Country  House,  Hanover 223 

120.  Plan  of  First  Floor  of  Public  Hotel,  Hanover    ....  225 

121.  Ground-plan 225 

122.  Interior  of  large  Dining-room 227 

123.  \iew  of  the  Facade 229 

124.  Ground-plan  of  a  Country  House  in  the  Environs  of  Hano\'er  .  230 

126.  Surface  and  Section  of  a  Panelled  Ceiling,  Hanover      .         .        .  231 

127.  Surface  and  Section  of  Panelled  Ceiling 236 

129.  Sofa  Table 240 

130.  Table  with  Cupboard  below 241 

131.  What-not 242 

132.  Phie-wood  Bedstead 243 

133.  Walnut- wood  Cupljoard 244 

134.  Walnut -wood  Bureau 245 

135.  Bookcase 246 

136.  Arm-chair 247 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS.  17 

137.  Chair 248 

138.  Chair 249 

139.  Bracket.         • 250 

140.  View  of  the  Alster  Quay,  Hamburg  ......       257 

141.  An  Old  Street  in  Hamburg 261 

142.  Flower-girl         .         . 264 

143.  Ground-plan  of  the  Museiun  at  Hamburg 267 

144.  Elevation  of  Museum,  Hamburg 269 

146.  Ground-plan  of  Roman  Catholic  Church  at  Hamburg  .         .  276 

147.  View  of  the  Interior 277 

148.  Exterior  of  New  Roman  Catholic  Church  at  Hamburg .         .         .  278 

149.  Ground-plan  of  Lodging-house 284 

150.  Plan  of  First  Floor 284 

151.  Exterior  and  Section 285 

152.  Ground-plan  of  Private  House,  Hamburg 288 

153.  Plan  of  First  Floor 288 

154.  View  of  Exterior  and  Section 289 

155.  View  of  Heligoland 297 

156.  Ground-plan  of  Bathing  Establishment  at  Heligoland  .         .         .  299 

159.  Blindage  in  the  Lines  of  Danevirke 308 

160.  Improved  Blindage 310 

161.  A  Peasant-Girl,  Jutland 324 

162.  Pier  and  Ferry  on  the  Little  Belt 325 

163.  Section  of  the  Movable  Pontoon 327 

164.  General  Plan  of  a  Farm  in  the  Island  of  Funen    .         .         .         .333 

165.  General  View  of  a  Farm 334 

166.  Exterior  of  Farm-house 335 

167.  View  of  Interior 336 

168.  Ground-plan  of  the  Cathedral  at  Roeskilde    .         .         .         .         .342 

169.  Geometrical  Elevation  of  the  Fagade  of  the  Transept         .        .       343 

170.  The  Kongens-Nytorv,  at  Copenhagen 347 

171.  The  Palace  of  Amalienborg 356 

172.  Plan  of  the  Amalienborg-Slot 357 

173.  Runde-Kirk,  Copenhagen .358 

174.  Ground-plan  of  the  Rosenborg 361 

176.  The  Exchange,  Copenhagen 365 

177.  Ground-plan  of  the  Exhibition  Building 366 

178.  Transverse  Section  of  the  Exhibition  Building,  Copenhagen       .       367 

179.  General  View  of  the  Industri-borg 368 

180.  Ground- plan  of  Communal  Hospital 370 

186.  Handle  of  Drinking-vessel 382 

187.  Bronze  Pin 383 


IS 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTEATIOXS 


188.  Bronze  Pin 

189.  Bronze  Pin 

190.  Bronze  Cup 

191  and  192.  Harness  found  in  a  Tumulus  in  Funen 

193.  Granite  Tomb.     Front  View 

194.  Opposite  Side  of  Tomb 

195.  Granite  Font 

196.  Chancel  Candlestick  .... 

197.  Terra-cotta  Taper-stand 

198.  Modern  Gable,  Copenhagen 

199.  Elevation  of  a  Lodging-house 

200.  Plan  of  the  Ground-floor    . 

201.  Plan  of  First  Floor        .... 

202.  Ground-plan  of  Private  Residence 

203.  Plan  of  First  Floor        .... 

204.  Interior  of  two  Rooms 

205.  External  View 

206.  Ground-plan  of  a  Private  Mansion    . 

207.  Plan  of  First  Floor        .... 

208.  Interior  of  Drawing-room  and  Anteroom 

210.  Ground-plan  of  Town  Hall,  Elsinore     . 

211.  Town  Hall,  Elsinore.     First  Floor     . 

212.  Interior.     First  Floor   .... 
214.  Life-boat  Station,  Elsinore 


384 
384 
385 
386 
387 
387 
388 
389 
390 
410 
411 
412 
412 
415 
415 
417 
418 
421 
422 
423 
431 
432 
433 
441 


HOLLAND 


"  Hollande  ;  canaux,  canards,  canailles."  —  Voltaire. 

"La  Hollande  est  le  pays  le  plus  cliarmant,  le  plus  lointain  qu'on  puisse  par- 
courir  sans  sortir  d'Europe."  —  Maxime  Ducamp. 


MOEEDYK.  —  DORDRECHT. 

THE  COUNTRY.  — THE  MEUSE.  — THE  TOWN.  — THE  CATHEDRAL. 

THE  Belgian  Eailway  terminates  at  Moerdyk ;  ^  at  this  point 
the  traveller  who  is  going  to  Holland  ought  to  embark  on 
the  jMeuse,  and  ascend  it  as  far  as  Eotterdam,  if  he  desires  to 
have  vivid  impressions  of  the  country,  and  to  grow  accustomed 
to  it  by  degrees  as  he  proceeds. 

The  river  is  as  wide  as  a  sea ;  its  gray,  muddy,  thick  waters, 
glittering  with  reflections  of  yellow  light,  are  covered  with  ves- 
sels from  every  port  and  bound  to  every  destination.  The  mud- 
banks  on  each  side  rise  above  immense  meadows  intersected  by 
canals,  streaked  with  long  lines  of  poplars,  and  enlivened  by 
large  herds  of  black  or  white  cows,  which  feed  there  durimx  the 
w^hole  year,  finding  a  plentiful  supply  of  pasture,  and  yielding 
abundance  of  meat  and  milk. 

In  the  midst  of  these  meadow^s  boats  or  steamers  appear  to 
be  passing  over  dry  land,  for  the  canals  along  which  they  go  are 
enclosed  between  two  artificial  banks  rising  above  the  level  of 
the  surrounding  soil. 

The  sea-breeze  gently  stirs  the  leaves  of  the  trees,  brings 
flocks  of  herons  or  storks,  and  turns  the  o-iijantic  sails  of  wind- 
mills,  whose  cheerful  click  resounds  on  all  sides. 

A  slight  mist,  a  bluish  haze,  rises  from  the  soil ;  if  a  gust  of 
wind  dissipates  it  for  a  moment,  it  returns  immediately  after- 
wards more  heavily  and  densely;  it  tones  down  the  outlines, 
and  rounds  off  the  forms  of  objects,  so  that  they  appear  soft,  and 

^  It  is  now  continued  as  far  as  Rotterdam. 


22  HOLLAND. 


as  if  tliey  had  been  steeped  in  water.  There  is  nothing  to  arrest 
or  fix  the  eye  as  it  glances  around  and  passes  from  one  object 
to  another  without  resting  on  anything  or  feeling  any  desire 
to  make  a  choice;  all  nature  is  seen  through  a  thin  veil.  The 
herdsmen  who  tend  the  flocks,  the  peasants  who  till  the  gi'ound, 
the  girls  who  milk  the  cows,  move  but  seldom,  and  with  a  heavy 
step ;  they  utter  no  shouts  or  songs,  and  are  not  easily  induced 
to  do  anything  hastily;  the  animals,  tied  to  painted  stakes 
placed  at  regular  intervals,  seem  more  calm  and  peaceful  than 
in  any  other  country.  Here  and  there,  nearer  the  environs  of 
towns  and  villages,  are  country-houses,  built  of  wood  or  brick, 
more  grotesque  than  original,  souvenirs  of  Java  or  Japan.  In 
front  of  each  there  is  a  little  garden,  planted  with  gaudy  flowers, 
especially  bright-colored  tidips  ;  instead  of  being  enclosed  by 
a  wall  they  are  surrounded  by  a  ditch  full  of  water.  The  build- 
ings are  neat,  though  low,  contracted,  and  of  small  size,  painted 
with  vivid  and  monotonous  colors,  and  always  detached  from 
each  other,  in  order  not  to  shock  the  unsociable  tastes  of  their 
inhabitants.  Behind  is  the  inevitable  windmill,  which  pumps 
out  the  water  in  case  of  an  inundation,  fills  the  ditch  in  dry 
weather,  supplies  the  house,  waters  the  garden,  saws  the  wood, 
and  makes  a  slight  noise  in  the  midst  of  this  deep  silence. 
The  whole  scene  is  strange ;  the  perfect  calm  astonishes  and 
soothes  us  at  first.  It  is  an  entirely  new  country  which  unfolds 
itself  before  the  spectator. 

We  give  a  representation  of  Dordrecht  or  Dor,  as  it  is  called 
in  the  neighborhood.  The  new-comer,  as  yet  little  accustomed 
to  the  solitude,  the  monotony,  and  the  scrupulous  cleanliness 
of  the  Dutch  towns,  finds  here  the  first  cause  for  astonishment. 
The  eflect  produced  by  this  small  town  is  unexpected  and 
charming;  almost  lost  in  the  river,  and  confounded  with  it, 
half  hidden  by  a  curtain  of  verdure,  it  shows  only  as  much 
as  it  cannot  conceal  of  its  singular  houses,  so  brightly  colored, 
so  neat  and  uniform,  and  grouped  so  regularly  around  the  Dom- 
Kerk,  which  dwarfs  them  by  its  size  and  its  height. 


MOERDYK.  — DOKDRECHT. 


23 


In  the  harbor  vessels  of  every  form  and  size  pass  to  and  fro, 
either  going  up  or  down  the  river.  This  continual  incessant 
movement  on  the  water  forms  a  striking  contrast  with  the  calm- 
ness which  reigns  on  dry  land. 

As  we  enter  Dordrecht  we  are  struck  with  the  quiet  which 
surrounds  us.     The  sound  of  our  footsteps  awakes  no  echo; 


Fig.  1.  —  General  View  of  Dordrecht. 

scarcely  does  it  attract  any  curious  fair-haired  woman  to  the 
diagonal  mirror  of  her  ever-closed  window.  We  pass  through 
one  street,  a  second,  and  a  third,  and  we  imagine  that  we  have 
retraced  our  steps,  so  much  does  the  third  resemble  the  sec- 
ond, and  this  again  the  first.  The  houses  are  identically  the 
same  everywhere,  the  same  not  only  in  their  general  arrange- 
ments and  their  outlines,  but  in  their  details ;  all  are  built  of 


24  HOLLAND. 


brick  more  or  less  unfaced ;  they  have  the  same  appearance,  the 
same  form.  The  frames  of  the  windows  and  doors  are  of  wood, 
all  of  the  same  dimensions,  and  of  a  similar  color,  and,  what  is 
more,  of  the  same  tone  of  this  same  color.  Thus  Dordrecht 
prefers  yellow,  and  all  is  yellow,  and  the  same  yellow. 

The  public  buildings  of  Dordrecht  are  soon  seen ;  indeed,  we 
might  dispense  with  the  sight  of  them.  The  Dom-Kerk,  an  an- 
cient cathedral,  which  has  been  turned  into  a  Protestant  place 
of  worship,  was  built  in  the  fourteenth  century ;  before  it  stands 
an  enormous  brick  steeple,  which  has  been  several  times  altered 
and  mutilated,  so  that  its  original  proportions  cannot  be  ascer- 
tained. The  Town  Hall  is  common  and  unworthy  of  notice; 
the  pier  and  the  harbor  are  uninteresting,  and  —  that  is  all. 


EOTTERDAM.  25 


ROTTERDAM. 

THE    GROOTE-KERK.  —  THE    HOSPITAL.  —  THE    MUSEUM.  —  THE   HOUSES.  — THE 

DELFT  GATE. 

AFTEE  leaving  Dordrecht  we  soon  come  to  Rotterdam. 
Landing  at  the  quay  of  Bompjes,  an  architect  may  for  a 
considerable  time  imagine  himself  still  on  board  ship,  for  the 
houses  appear  to  him  to  be  dancing  a  saraband,  which  disturbs 
their  equilibrium.  The  symmetrical  gables  advance,  retire,  lean 
to  the  right  or  the  left,  backwards  or  forwards;  not  one  has 
maintained  its  perpendicularity.  This  may,  however,  be  easily 
understood  when  we  consider  that  the  town  was  built  on  piles 
driven  into  the  subjacent  marshes  that  have  been  disturbed  and 
shifted  by  frequent  inundations ;  still,  if  the  equilibrium  has 
been  affected,  the  stability  has  not  been  impaired ;  the  fall  of 
houses  is  not  more  frequent  at  Rotterdam  than  elsewhere,  and 
one  may  venture  to  walk  througli  the  city  without  any  danger. 

The  most  important  structure  in  Rotterdam  is  the  Church  of 
St.  Laurence,  better  known  by  the  name  of  the  Groote-Kerk 
(the  great  church).  Like  all  other  ecclesiastical  buildings  in  the 
Netherlands,  the  Groote-Kerk,  originally  intended  for  Roman 
Catholic  worship,  has  been  subsequently  turned  into  a  Protestant 
church. 

Holland  is  Protestant ;  and  when,  after  the  excesses  of  John 
of  Leyden  and  the  Anabaptists  in  the  sixteenth  century,  the 
Reformation  was  firmly  established  in  the  Netherlands.  (1536), 
the  Roman  Catholic  churches  became  places  of  worship  con- 
nected with  the  new  faith ;  but,  not  having  been  constructed  for 
that  purpose,  this  transformation  was  not  easily  effected.     We 


26 


HOLLAND. 


can  clearly  understand  that,  of  all  ecclesiastical  edifices,  Gothic 
churches  are,  less  than  any  others,  suited  to  the  requirements  of 
the  Protestant  religion. 

Nothing  is  needed  for  the  reformed  temple  but  a  large  hall ; 


Fig.  2.  —  Ground-plan  of  the  Groote-Kerk  at  Rotterdam. 

(Scale,  .039  inch  to  the  yard.) 

it  is  unnecessary  to  have  side  aisles  for  Catholic  processions,  a 
vast  choir  to  accommodate  a  great  number  of  priests,  spacious 


EOTTERDAM.  27 


chapels  where  divine  service  may  be  celebrated  in  many  differ- 
ent functions,  and  ornaments  of  all  kinds,  which  give  such 
effectual  aid  to  the  pomp  of  ceremonies.  The  minister  and  the 
priest  cannot  officiate  in  the  same  sanctuary ;  the  building  which 
is  adapted  to  the  one  is  unsuited  and  inconvenient  for  the  other. 

The  Groote-Kerk  has  passed  through  these  various  transfor- 
mations. Its  naked  walls,  of  a  uniform  tint  of  coloring,  present 
a  cold  and  sad  appearance ;  the  choir  and  the  chapels  are  closed ; 
the  windows  have  been  despoiled  of  their  colored  glass ;  the  tran- 
sept and  nave  are  filled  with  seats  placed  as  in  an  amphitheatre, 
which  hide  the  arcades,  the  bases,  the  shafts,  and  even  the  capi- 
tals of  the  columns  of  the  side  aisles.  The  ancient  edifice  ean 
no  longer  be  recognized ;  it  is  degraded  and  mutilated,  and  the 
effect  which  it  might  otherwise  produce  is  completely  destroyed. 

Yet,  even  such  as  it  is  at  the  present  day,  it  deserves  exam- 
ination, and  attracts  attention ;  its  ground-plan  (Fig.  2)  shows  a 
certain  kind  of  grandeur  and  much  unity  in  the  arrangements 
of  the  nave,  transept,  and  choir,  but  the  apse -is  poor,  and  the 
aisles  surrounding  the  east  end  correspond  badly  with  the  rest 
of  the  building.  The  most  curious  part  is  the  timber-vaulted 
roof  which  covers  the  nave,  the  weight  of  which  rests  on  the 
ends  of  enormous  bare  tie-beams,  wliich  also  serve  to  buttress 
the  walls.  The  transverse  ribs  of  the  roof  extend  from  aisle 
to  aisle,  and  support  the  boards  which  'form  its  framework ; 
each  of  these  ribs  springs  from  a  slender  column  or  pilaster,  also 
of  wood,  which  extends  down  to  the  chapiter  of  the  column,  and 
is  supported  by  it,  its  bearing  being  sometimes  strengthened  by 
a  brace  placed  below. 

This  very  homogeneous  structure  is  entirely  independent  of 
the  main  masonry;  the  profiles  of  the  arches  resemble  those 
of  stone  voussoirs ;  they  are  composed  of  small  pieces  of  wood 
indented  together,  thus  forming  a  rigid  system,  but  possessing 
sufficient  elasticity  to  yield  without  breaking,  and  without  los- 
ing their  shape  in  consequence  of  the  movements  communicated 
to  the  whole  building  by  an  unstable  soil. 


2S 


HOLLAND. 


Cousti-uctions  of  this  kind  are  very  frequent  in  the  ecclesias- 
tical buildings  of  the  Netherlands.  This  is  explained  by  the 
double  advantage  which  they  offer :  first,  in  not  imposing  too 
ffreat  a  weiuht  on  walls  erected  on  a  bad  soil,  and  also  in  allowing- 


Fig.  3.  —  Interior  of  the  Groote-Kerk. 


architects  to  make  use  of  those  materials  which,  at  the  time 
when  the  churches  w^ere  erected,  were  found  abundantly  in  the 
country,  then  covered  with  forests  which  have  since  disappeared. 
It  is  true  that  a  fire  —  and  they  are  frequent  here  —  would  soon 
have  destroyed  the  whole.     The  timber  roofs  of  the  Groote- 


ROTTERDAM. 


29 


Kerk  are  in  good  preservation ;  they  are  of  no  older  date  than 
1513;  they  are  not  so  well  constructed,  and  are  certainly  less 
interesting,  than  those  of  other  buildings  of  which  we  shall 
have  occasion  to  sj)eak.     The  architect  made  his  wood-work  too 


jrnX 


Fig.  4.  —  The  Groote-Kerk, 


massive  for  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  intended,  and  there- 
fore the  whole  looks  heavy  and  almost  clumsy.  This  exaggera- 
tion of  necessary  solidity  is,  indeed,  a  general  fault  in  Holland, 
where,  less  than  elsewhere,  we  meet  with  dehcacy  and  graceful- 
ness. 


30 


HOLLAND 


We  see,  at  the  entrance  of  the  choir,  an  open  screen  in  copper, 
of  the  Louis  Treize  style,  of  very  remarkable  workmanship,  and 
Avith  exceedingly  rich  decorations ;  there  is  also  in  one  of  the 
chapels  another  communion  screen  in  copper,  the  tracery  and 
sharp  ed<_ces  of  which  are  in  a  perfect  state  of  preservation. 

The  building  is  entirely  of  brick,  except  the  points  of  support 
and  some  courses  placed  on  the  external  facades,  which  are  of 
stone  (Fig.  4),  the  white  color  of  which  contrasts  strongly  witli 
the  deep  red  of  the  bricks.  The  to^^'er  above  the  entrance  was 
not  erected  till  the  seventeenth  century;  a  wooden  spire  was 
then  placed  upon  it,  which  was  afterwards  destroyed,  and  re- 
placed by  the  tower  of  several  stories  which  we  see  at  present. 

AVe  must  remember,  in  order  to  explain  the  date  assigned  to 
the  erection  of  the  Church  of  St.  Laurence,  that  in  the  Middle 
Ages  the  Xorth  of  Europe  was  far  behind  our  French  provinces, 
and  that  in  the  thirteenth  century  admirable  cathedrals  had 
already  been  erected  in  the  Ile-de-France  when  the  German 
races  were  only  just  beginning  to  construct  equilateral  arches. 


Fig.  5  —  Elevation  of  the  Hospital  at  Rotterdam. 

(Scale,  .030  inch  to  the  yard.) 

We  must  not,  indeed,  expect  to  find  in  Holland  ecclesiastical 
edifices  such  as  have  been  so  much  admired  in  France,  Italy, 
Belgium,  or  Spain.  Nothing  is  to  be  seen  there  in  the  least 
degree  approaching  those  admirable  churches  in  which  a  relig- 
ion which  appeals  to  the  eye  and  the  imagination  has  collected 
artistic  treasures  M'hich  even^  one  can  now  see  and  admire. 


ROTTERDAM. 


On  the  right  hand  rises,  high  above  this  part  of  the  city,  a  vast 
building,  —  the  hospital,  which  was  begun  in  1844.  In  conse- 
quence of  their  not  having  taken  the  precautions  which  were 


pu.  -  -  -  -  - 


f1  t*^  j^r  t^ 


t4i'iki'MiJ:?'^> 


It 


Fig.  6. 
(Scale,  .039  inch  to  the  yard.) 


1.  Principal  entrance. 

2.  Entrance-hall. 

3.  Board-room. 

4.  Director's  apartments. 

5.  Physician's  room. 

6.  Bath-room. 

7.  Vapor  baths. 

8.  Drawing-room. 

9.  Staircase. 

10.  Lifts. 

11.  Sick- wards. 


12.  Corridors. 

13.  Library. 

14.  Theatre  for  operations. 

15.  Principal  hall. 

16.  Wards  for  patients  who  pay  for 

attendance. 

17.  Water-closets. 

18.  Nurses'  apartments. 

19.  Store-rooms. 

20.  Dressing-rooms. 


11 

^  W  ^  ^  ^  P°^ 


Fig.  7.  —  Enlarged  Plan  of  Sick- Ward. 

(Scale,  .078  mch  to  the  yard.) 


rendered  necessary  by  the  nature  of  the  soil,  the  works  were  in- 
terrupted for  four  years,  and  completed  in  1850  (Fig.  5).  This 
hospital  is  therefore  one  of  the  modern  benevolent  establish- 


32 


HOLLAND 


ments  constructed  iu  Europe.  The  praise  which  has  been  be- 
stowed upon  it  is  doubtless  somewhat  exaggerated,  for  we  shall 
see  that  the  arrangement  of  the  sick-wards,  an  essential  part  of 
such  a  building,  is  not  free  from  blame. 

The  hospital  at  Rotterdam  is  capable  of  containing  from  260 
to  280  beds.  It  is  three  stories  high ;  on  the  ground-floor  are 
the  surgery,  the  kitchen  and  its  offices,  the  steam-engine,  and 
other  necessary  appendages.  The  central  part  is  reserved  for 
the  officers  of  the  institution.  The  two  wings  are  devoted  to 
the  patients,  and  are  divided  into  small  wards,  each  containing 
only  twenty  beds,  which  is  an  excellent  arrangement.  But  the 
dimensions  of  these  rooms,  6,  5  X  11  X  4,  6  metres  =  328,  9 
cubic  metres  (about  430  cubic  yards),  only  allow  each  patient 
33  cubic  metres  (about  43  cubic  yards),  which  is  very  insuffi- 
cient.^ 


Fig.  8.  —  The  Grotind-plan  of  the  Boymans  Museum,  Rotterdam. 

(Scale,  .039  inch  to  the  yard.) 

In   addition   to  this,  the  wards   are   lighted   and  ventilated 
merely  by  a  window  and  a  half-glass  door  opening  on  a  common 

1  The  quantity  of  air  to  each  bed,  in  the  Hopital  Lariboisiere  at  Paris,  is  from 
50  to  60  cubic  metres  (65  to  78  cubic  yards). 


ROTTERDAM 


corridor  perfectly  closed,  and  therefore  a  constant  cause  of  insa- 
lubrity, especially  during  epidemics  (Figs.  6  and  7). 

Each  ward  has  a  dressing-room  and  water-closet,  the  walls  of 
which  are  covered  with  glazed  tiles,  and  which  are  ventilated 
only  by  means  of  the  corridor  common  to  all  the  wards.     The 


Fig.  9.  —  The  Boymans  Museum. 


floors  of  the  latter  are  of  deal,  and  are  washed  every  day,  so  that 
they  are  perfectly  clean,  but  at  the  same  time  constantly  damp. 
The  patients  are  raised  to  the  upper  floors  by  a  lift,  so  as  not 
to  expose  them  to  any  inconvenience  from  jolting,  and  this  also 


HOLLAND 


spares  the  attendants  the  fatigue  of  carrying  up  heavy  and  cum- 
brous packages. 

The  Boymans  Museum  was  one  of  the  glories  of  Holland.  It 
was  burnt  in  18G4.  This  building,  which  contained  the  master- 
pieces of  the  Dutch  school,  has  been  re-erected,  but  unfortu- 
nately it  has  not  been  so  easy  to  replace  the  pictures  that  were 
destroyed. 


Fig.  10.  —  statue  of  Erasmtis,  at  Rotterdam. 

The  new  museum  is  not  faultless.  Detached  on  three  sides, 
it  is  in  the  form  of  a  rectangle,  and  contains  two  vast  halls, 
lighted  from  the  ceiling,  for  the  reception  of  pictures  of  large  size, 
and  three  smaller  rooms  for  drawings,  medals,  etc. ;  the  ground- 
floor  contains  sculptures  and  more  unimportant  works.  The 
facades,  constructed  of  stone  brought  from  Belgium,  at  great 
expense,  are  well  proportioned  and  highly  decorated,  but  have  no 


ROTTERDAM.  35 


originality.  However,  the  building  is  fer  superior  to  the  mu- 
seums of  the  Hague  and  Amsterdam. 

The  statue  of  the  magistrate  Gysbert  Karel  has  been  lately 
erected  behind  the  Museum.  This  personage  is  seated  in  an 
arm-chair,  and  clothed  in  a  robe,  the  folds  of  which  conceal  the 
details  of  the  seat ;  the  sculptor  has  given  to  the  figure  the  sim- 
plest position  possible.  The  body  is  leaning  backward,  and  the 
legs  are  crossed  in  a  careless  and  natural  manner,  perhaps  rather 
too  realistic ;  but  this  will  be  readily  pardoned,  as  there  is  an 
entire  absence  of  studied  effect  and  pretension. 

The  bronze  statue  of  Erasmus  stands  on  the  Groote  Mark 
(Fig.  10) ;  it  w\as  cast  in  1622,  and  is  very  celebrated  in  the  North, 
and  considered  as  the  masterpiece  of  the  sculptor  Reiser.  Eras- 
mus is  represented  as  standing,  draped  in  a  long  doctor's  robe, 
the  folds  of  which  cover  his  feet ;  he  holds  in  his  hand  an  open 
book,  which  he  is  reading.  This  figure  has  been  alternately 
much  praised  and  greatly  decried ;  it  certainly  deserves  "  neither 
this  excess  of  honor  nor  this  indignity."  It  is  a  mediocre  work, 
but  it  has  the  merit  of  representing  a  person  who  really  seems 
to  live,  to  read,  and  to  walk. 

The  bases  of  these  two  statues  are  equally  common  and  worth- 
less. 

The  Dutch  think  a  great  deal  of  their  primary  schools ;  but 
there  was  nothing^  in  their  contributions  to  the  Universal  Exhi- 
bition  at  Paris  in  1867  which  seemed  to  justify  their  preten- 
sions, and  the  schools  which  we  visited  did  not  induce  us  to 
change  our  opinion..  The  buildings,  both  in  their  external  ap- 
pearance and  internal  arrangements,  are  far  inferior  to  ours.  As 
to  the  boasted  neutral  schools,  in  which  children  of  every  sect 
receive  necessary  instruction  without  any  interference  with  their 
religious  tenets,  it  is  easily  understood  that  they  are  indispensable 
in  a  country  whose  inhabitants  are  unwilling  to  admit  any  variety 
or  fancy  except  in  their  religious  notions ;  in  a  country  where  a 
city  of  100,000  souls,  like  Rotterdam,  has  seventeen  different 
sects  of  almost  equal  importance,  —  Eoman  Catholics,  Jansen- 


36  HOLLAND. 


ists,  Eemonstrauts,  Mennonites,  Eetbrmed,  Lutherans,  Angli- 
cans, English  Presbyterians,  Scotch,  Jews,  Greeks,  etc. 

AVe  readily  acknowledge  that  neutral  schools  might  be  useful 
in  France,  especially  in  certain  provinces ;  but  in  most  cases  the 
uniformity  of  religion  amongst  us  renders  them  superfluous, 
while,  on  account  of  the  excessive  division  of  religious  sects, 
they  are  indispensable  in  Holland. 

The  Exchange  is  an  edifice  of  the  eighteenth  century,  possess- 
ing no  architectural  interest.  This  large  block  of  buildings 
surrounds  a  vast  enclosure  covered  with  glass,  the  metallic  frame- 
work of  which  is  supported  by  enormous  cast-iron  columns, 
painted  to  imitate  stone. 

The  whole  is  surmounted  by  a  campanile,  which  was,  at  the 
time  of  our  visit,  surrounded  by  scaffoldings  made  of  small 
pieces  of  rough  wood  with  the  bark  on ;  and  this  excessively 
lidit  construction  reminded  us  of  those  which  we  see  in  Eome 

o 

at  the  present  time,  —  a  circumstance  which  strikes  one  more 
forcibly,  since  the  Dutch  do  not  generally  excel  in  the  economi- 
cal use  of  materials. 

Holland  extends  her  commerce  over  the  whole  world :  she 
has  factories  at  the  North  Cape,  and  others  in  Oceania;  her 
numberless  vessels  bring  into  her  ports  the  riches  of  the  globe, 
to  be  conveyed  over  the  Continent  by  railways  and  canals. 

Eotterdam  is  the  second,  and  will,  it  is  said,  soon  be  the  first 
of  her  ports.  The  productions  of  the  farthest  East  are  brought 
thither  by  the  mercantile  genius  of  its  inhabitants.  Eegular 
lines  of  sailing  vessels  and  steamers  constantly  make  the  long 
voyage  of  six  thousand  leagues  which  separate  Batavia  from  the 
North  Sea.  AVe  see  them,  full  and  heavily  laden,  enter  the 
deep  canals  of  the  interior,  along  which  they  pass  to  the  very 
houses  of  their  owners,  to  discharge  their  freight. 

This  exceptional  circumstance,  resulting  from  local  arrange- 
ments, converts  the  whole  city  into  a  port,  instead  of  limiting 
it  to  that  portion  by  the  side  of  the  river ;  and  this  renders  un- 
necessary at  Eotterdam  those  immense  warehouses  which  we  see 


KOTTERDAM. 


37 


in  London,  Marseilles,  Genoa,  etc.  But  although  each  ship-owner 
has  his  private  warehouses  and  depots  of  merchandise,  there  are 
some  general  establishments  of  this  kind  at  the  extremity  of  the 
Bompjes.  But  these  dark  and  gloomy  buildings  are  very  badly 
placed ;  the  usual  Dutch  cleanliness  is  wanting,  and  the  archi- 
tect can  find  nothing  to  admire  in  their  construction. 

The  private  dwellings  of  Holland  differ  essentially  from  those 


Fig.  11.  —  House  in  one  of  the  Streets  of  Rotterdam. 

of  France,  w^hich  would  suit  neither  such  a  climate  nor  habits 
so  different  from  ours ;  Ijut,  on  the  other  hand,  they  are  perfectly 
adapted  to  the  wants,  the  manners,  and  the  tastes  of  their  in- 
habitants ;  and  in  this  respect  the  practical  disposition  of  this 
nation  of  merchants  is  especially  manifested. 

The  Hollander  is  not  verv  sociable  ;   it  is  difficult  to  form 


38 


HOLLAND 


any  intimate  acquaintance  with  him ;  his  house,  closely  shut  up, 
is  but  rarely,  and  only  under  certain  circumstances,  open  to  the 
members  of  his  family.  As  soon  as  his  business  is  over  at  his 
warehouse  or  his  otFice  he  goes  to  a  club,  where  he  passes  many 
hours  smoking  and  drinking  beer ;  he  speaks  but  little,  unless 
he  has  some  direct  motive  for  breaking  the  silence.  His  wife 
keeps  the  house,  and  brings  up  the  children.  The  pleasures  of 
the  understanding  and  the  mind,  the  love  of  art,  are  not  so  much 


Ground-plan  of  a  House  at  Rotterdam. 
Fig.  12. —Basement.  Fig.  13.  —  Ground-floor.  Fig.  14. 

(Scale,  .039  inch  to  the  yard.) 


First-floor. 


A. 

Kitchen  entrance. 

B. 

Area. 

C. 

Kitchen. 

D. 

Coal-hole. 

E. 

Wine-cellar. 

F. 

Bath-room. 

G.    Hall. 

H.    Drawing-room. 

Dining-room. 

Greenhouse. 

Bedrooms. 

Dressinff-room. 


cultivated  in  Holland  as  amono-  ourselves.  Thus  Eotterdam,  a 
town  of  100,000  souls,  has  no  theatre ;  and  at  Amsterdam,  which 
contains  300,000  inhabitants,  there  is  no  opera-house. 

Tlie  love  of  flowers,  carried  to  such  an  extent  in  some  cities  as 
to  become  a  mania,  may,  however,  be  accounted  for  by  the  very 
natural  desire  which  these  people  must  feel  to  see  here  and 
there  around  them  some  brilliantly  colored  spots  breaking  their 


ROTTERDAM.  39 


gray  and  misty  horizon.  This  desire,  perhaps,  justifies  their 
exaggerated  taste  for  tuhps  of  the  most  gaudy  colors,  and  for 
pink  or  bkie  houses,  and  induces  them  to  paint  the  trunks  of 
trees  white  and  the  wooden  shoes  of  the  peasants  red. 

In  order  to  satisfy  these  tastes  and  habits  —  which,  as  we 
have  seen,  must  leave  the  mind  and  the  imagination  perfectly 
calm  —  the  Dutchman,  who  loves  neither  change  nor  variety, 
w^ho  can  comprehend  nothing  but  symmetry  and  monotony,  who 
seeks  neither  society  nor  intercourse  with  his  neighbor,  con- 
structs for  himself  dwellings  arranged  exactly  on  a  uniform  plan, 
with  scarcely  even  a  variation  in  size ;  the  only  difference  which 
exists  in  the  front  of  their  houses  is  in  the  shape  of  the  gables, 
which,  according  to  the  period  of  their  construction,  and  the 
taste  of  the  day,  are  more  or  less  strange ;  and  nothing  can,  in 
every  case,  justify  their  grotesque  forms  (Fig.  11). 

The  ground-floor  (Figs.  12,  13,  14)  is  composed  of  two  rooms 
of  equal  dimensions,  separated  by  a  partition  formed  of  panels, 
so  as  slide  upon  each  other  by  means  of  rollers,  which  renders  it 
easy  to  throw  both  into  one.  Opposite  to  the  street-door  is 
the  staircase  leading  upwards  to  the  first  floor,  and  downwards 
to  the  basement,  where  are  the  kitchen,  the  room  for  coal  or 
peat,  the  cellar,  a  bath-room,  and  closets.  There  is  direct  access 
to  this  underground  portion  from  without,  and,  in  order  to  give 
all  the  air  and  light  possible,  an  area  of  from  3  ft.  3  in.  to  5  ft. 
w4de  separates  the  front  wall  from  the  public  way,  and  keeps 
the  passer-by  at  a  distance.  The  upper  story  comprises  two 
apartments  similar  to  those  on  the  ground-floor,  a  dressing-room 
over  the  hall,  and  a  closet.  If  the  house  is  of  greater  impor- 
tance, there  is  another  story  or  even  two  or  three  above  it,  but 
the  latter  case  is  very  rare.  The  attics  are  used  for  stores,  and, 
in  order  to  avoid  anything  being  carried  up  or  down  the  stair- 
case, a  pole  with  a  pulley  attached  is  fixed  on  the  outside,  by 
which  all  packages  can  be  raised  or  let  down. 

When  the  fronts  of  the  houses  abut  on  a  canal,  they  are  some- 
times covered  with  enclosed  or  sheltered  balconies,  or  large  project- 
ing bay-windows,  which  produce  a  picturesque  effect  (Fig.  15). 


40 


HOLLAND. 


The  rooms  on  the  ground-floor  are  inteuded  to  be  seen  by  the 
public  ^vho  pass  along  the  street,  but  do  not  enter  :  the  windows 
of  these  rooms  have  their  sill  very  low,  and  are  ornamented 
within  by  stands  full  of  flowers.  The  furnitui-e  can  thus  be  seen 
from  without,  and  is  almost  always  composed  of  the  produc- 


Fig.  15.  —  Houses  on  the  Banks  of  a  Canal,  Rotterdam. 

tions  of  Java,  China,  or  Japan,  of  objects  of  art  or  vcrtu,  of 
strange  forms,  but  of  an  inappreciable  value  and  rarity;  im- 
mense jars,  hideous  Bouddhas,  jade  vases,  and  unsightly  bronzes 
are  seen  in  abundance.     Nothing  interferes  with  the  view  of  the 


KOTTERDAM. 


41 


back  room,  and  the  rare  plants  and  choice  tulips  arranged  on  the 
floor  of  the  conservatory.  A  very  simple  contrivance  serves  to 
bring  the  flowers  nearer  to  or  farther  from  the  window. 

All  the  windows  are  hung  with  sashes,  —  an  excellent  plan 
for  enabling  them  to  be  securely  closed  without  any  inconven- 


Fig.  16  —The  Delft  Gate,  Rotterdam. 

ience,  in  a  country  where  there  is  no  necessity  to  renew  the  air 
of  the  apartments  frequently,  and  where  it  is  not  only  contrary  to 
the  usual  custom  to  look  out  of  the  window,  but  even  to  open  it. 
To  atone  for  this  imprisonment,  the  w^omen,  wdio  always  live 
in  the  upper  story,  have  adopted  the  Belgian  or  Swiss  spy  mir- 
ror}  by  means  of  which  they  can,  while  seated  within  the  room, 
notice  all  that  passes  in  the  street.  But  in  rigid  families  this 
mirror  is  prohibited,  and  the  women  live  in  the  rooms  which 
look  into  the  back  garden. 

1  A  diagonal  mirror  on  the  outside,  so  placed  as  to  reflect  all  objects  in  the 
street  below.  —  Tr. 


42  HOLLAND 


The  use  of  outer  blinds  is  a  rare  exceptiou ;  they  are  replaced 
by  inner  shutters  or  double  windows.  When  they  wish  to  pre- 
vent passers-by  or  neighbors  seeing  what  takes  place  within, 
they  put  before  the  windows,  on  the  inside,  small  fine  wire- work 
screens,  painted  blue  or  rose-color,  called  Horren,  which  allow 
them  to  see  without  being  seen. 

These  houses  are  entirely  constructed  of  brick :  the  floors  and 
timbers  are  of  deal,  as  well  as  the  internal  wood-work,  and  the 
doors  and  window-frames.  The  roofs  are  covered  vvith  curved 
tiles,  slightly  differing  in  form  from  ours ;  the  bricks,  which  are 
generally  of  a  deep  color,  measure  about  8i  in.  X  4  in.  X  2  in. ; 
they  are  employed  in  the  most  primitive  manner,  without  any 
attempt  at  combinations  which  might  offer  any  advantages  in 
the  construction,  or  present  forms  pleasing  to  the  eye. 

The  highway  regulations,  which,  with  us,  restrict  in  so  many 
ways  both  architects  and  their  buildings,  do  not  appear  to  be  very 
rigorous  in  Holland.  Each  person  builds  his  house  in  a  certain 
given  line ;  he  constructs  it  solidly,  because  it  is  his  interest  to 
do  so ;  he  renders  it  convenient  and  healthy,  because  otherwise 
he  could  neither  let,  sell,  nor  inhabit  it ;  but  he  attains  this  end 
without  being  subjected  to  our  many  regulations,  which  are  diffi- 
cult in  application,  variable,  and  often  doubtful  in  interpretation. 

When  we  leave  Rotterdam  we  pass  through  the  Delft  gate 
(Fig.  16),  built  in  the  last  century,  which  is  considered  an  impor- 
tant structure  in  a  city  where  there  are  so  few.  Then  we  arrive 
at  a  modern  Gothic  building  —  and  such  Gothic  !  —  which  is  the 
terminus  of  the  Hague  Railway. 

As  soon  as  we  lose  sight  of  the  last  houses  in  Rotterdam,  we 
find  the  country  just  as  we  left  it  on  the  other  side  before  we 
entered  the  towns.  The  canals,  the  meadows,  the  flocks,  the 
windmills,  the  roads  paved  with  brick,  return  incessantly,  and 
succeed  each  other  in  such  a  regular  and  uniform  manner  that 
one  is  afraid  after  a  while  of  being  the  victim  of  an  illusion,  and 
is  tempted  to  rub  the  window  of  the  carriage  in  order  to  be  as- 
sured that  tliis  invariable  image  is  not  engraved  upon  it. 


THE    HAGUE.  43 


THE   HAGUE.i 

THE    BINNENOF.  —  THE    TOWN    HALL.  —  THE   MARKET.  —  THE    HOUSES.  —  THE 

MUSEUMS. 

IF  the  terminus  where  we  start  for  Rotterdam  is  Gothic,  that, 
on  the  contrary,  at  which  we  stop  at  the  Hague  is  Grecian. 
One  is  as  good  as  the  other ;  indeed,  it  is  almost  impossible  to 
choose  between  them. 

The  Hague  (St.  Gravenhage)  is  more  unlike  a  Dutch  town 
than  any  other  in  Holland ;  it  has  no  decided  character,  no  origi- 
nal personality ;  it  is  the  capital  of  the  kingdom,  the  residence  of 
the  Court,  a  fashionable  city,  a  favorite  abode  of  that  nomadic 
crowd,  without  fixed  habitation,  wdio  look  upon  Europe  as  their 
dwelling-place.  It  has  constantly  offered  an  asylum  to  exiles  of 
all  nations ;  you  find  there  enlightened,  learned  society,  beau- 
tiful fine-art  collections,  and  all  kinds  of  intellectual  resources. 
The  natural  productions  are  rich,  and  the  sea  is  close  at  hand. 

The  appearance  of  the  city  corresponds  very  well  with  the 
idea  which  one  would  form  of  it.  Tlie  streets  are  straight,  and 
there  are  w4de  avenues  and  squares  planted  with  trees ;  and  also 
—  a  noticeable  thing  in  a  Dutch  town  —  no  internal  canals ; 
they  have  all  been  restricted  to  the  harbor.  A  single  piece  of 
water  has  received  the  freedom  of  the  city,  the  Vivyer,  whose 
dimensions  are  those  of  a  lake,  and  which,  occupying  the  side  of 
a  vast  square,  bathes  the  walls  of  the  Binnenof 

The  Binnenof  (Fig.  17)  is  a  palace,  or  rather  an  assemblage  of 
buildings  fulfilling  the  same  purposes  as  that  clcgli    Uffizi  at 

1  The  Hague  is  the  town  where  the  Dutch  nobility  reside  ;  there  is  scarcely  any 
place  more  agreeable  in  the  world.  — Regnard,  1681. 


44 


HOLLAND 


Florence.  It  is  the  ancient  paLace  of  the  Stadtholders,  and  tlje 
cradle  of  the  Hague,  and  was  formerly  a  fortress  surrounded  by 
trenches.  Tliere  is  still  no  communication  between  it  and  the 
city,  except  by  three  bridges. 

Installed  in  this  vast  building  there  are  a  chapel,  the  Treasury 
offices,  the  Senate,  the  Museum  (a  little  beyond  the  ancient 


Fig.  17.  —  The  Binnenof  at  the  Hague. 

buildings),  two  offices  of  the  Ministry,  and  those  of  several  other 
branches  of  public  administration.  In  the  midst  of  the  court 
stands  a  building  of  the  thirteenth  century,  intended  originally 
as  a  chapel,  but  now  used  as  a  place  where  the  public  lottery  is 
drawn,  and  for  the  exercises  of  the  civic  guard,  who  thus  perform 
their  manoeuvres  sheltered  from  the  sun  and  rain  (Fig.  18). 

The  whole  of  the  Binnenof  has  been  several  times  altered  and 
modified.  The  original  buildings,  which  are  to  be  seen  around 
the  inner  court,  are  composed  of  a  ground-floor  before  which  is 
a  portico,  and  two  upper  stories  of  a  square  form. 


THE    HAGUE. 


45 


The  materials  employed  are  stone  and  unfaced  brick.  It  has 
been  very  carefully  constructed,  so  that,  in  spite  of  time,  and  foun- 
dations resting  on  a  movable  and  compressible  soil,  the-  general 
mass  of  .the  building  has  stood  well,  and  no  deterioration  is  per- 
ceptible to  the  eye;  but  the  appearance  of  the  edifice  is  not 
cheerful,  and  it  gives  one  the  idea  of  a  barrack  or  a  prison  rather 
than  of  a  palace. 


Fig.  18.  —  The  Lottery  Hall  at  the  Hague. 

The  Lottery  Hall  alone  relieves  the  whole  structure.  This 
little  Gothic  building  makes  an  agreeable  break  in  the  monotony 
of  the  cold  and  symmetrical  lines  which  surround  it. 

The  two  turrets,  the  object  of  which  is  not  at  once  evident,  were 
formerly  watch-towers,  commanding  the  flat  and  level  country 
all  around.     Tlie  campaniles  which  are  above  them  are  modern. 

The  interior  of  this  hall  has  a  bare  wooden  roof,  said  to  be  of 


4G 


HOLLAND 


cedar ;  but  we  could  only  examine  it  through  a  broken  pane  of 
glass,  all  our  attempts  to  penetrate  farther  having  been  inefiectuaL 
The  discussions  which  lately  took  place  m  i^unce,  when  it 
was  proposed  to  install  the  Municipal  Council  of  Paris  in  the 
Luxembur^T  and  in  the  projected  Hotel  de  Ville,  give  a  certain 


Mi 


DHDIIaOMD 


Fig.  19. 


Fig.  20. 

Ground-plan  and  Section  of  the  Senata  Hall  at  tlio  Hague. 
(Scale,  .078  inch  to  the  yard.) 


A.    President's  seat. 

D.    Seats  of  senators. 

B.    Secretaries. 

E.    Gallery  for  the  public  and  the 

C.    Seats  of  ministers. 

press. 

amount  of  interest  to  the  arrangements  adopted  at  the  Hague 
in  order  to  seat  the  members  of  the  Senate. 

The  hall  of  assembly,  of  which  we  give  a  ground-plan  (Fig.  19), 
and  a  section  (Fig.  20),  has  nothing  remarkable  in  itself,  but  its 
arrangement  deserves  to  be  noticed.  On  the  right  and  left  are 
the  seats  of  the  great  dignitaries  of  the  kingdom,  the  representa- 
tives of  foreign  Powers,  and  the  public ;  below,  the  senators,  thirty- 


THE    HAGUE.  47 


nine  in  number,  are  seated  three  by  three  on  benches  with  alter- 
nate desks ;  these  benches  are  placed  in  six  rows  opposite  to  each 
other.  In  the  intermediate  space  are  the  president's  arm-chair, 
and  the  seats  of  the  ministers  and  secretaries.  This  is,  in  princi- 
ple, almost  the  same  arrangement  as  that  adopted  at  the  House 
of  Commons  in  London.  There  is  no  tribune ;  the  members 
speak  from  their  places ;  each  one  rises  to  ask  a  question  or  to 
reply,  without  making  a  formal  speech.  The  senators  engage  in 
conversation  or  discussion,  rather  than  in  an  oratorical  tourna- 
ment, and  the  afiairs  of  the  country  do  not  suffer  in  conse- 
quence. 

Tlie  Dutch  do  not  seem  to  value  the  works  of  art  which  they 
possess,  so  much  for  the  pleasure  which  they  may  afford,  as  for 
the  profit  which  they  may  derive  from  them.  The  museums  of 
the  Hague  and  Amsterdam  are  badly  placed  in  third-rate  build- 
ings, and  the  public  are  not  admitted,  except  on  payment,  —  a 
custom  which  is  observed  in  no  part  of  Europe  except  in  Bel- 
gium and  the  Netherlands. 

The  Museum  at  the  Hague  contains  on  the  ground-floor  a 
collection  of  Chinese  and  Japanese  curiosities  of  an  exaggerated 
reputation ;  and,  on  the  first  floor,  a  gallery  of  paintings  contain- 
ing about  three  hundred  pictures.  The  greater  part  of  these  be- 
long to  the  Dutch  school,  among  w^hich  are  found  Paul  Potter's 
"  Bull,"  and  Piembrandt's  "  Lecture  on  Anatomy." 

Although  the  numerous  copies  of  the  masterpiece  of  Paul 
Potter  have  rendered  it  so  well  known,  the  impression  which  it 
gives  us  is  new,  because  none  of  its  reproductions  have  given 
the  exact  proportions  and  the  scale  of  the  original,  which  is  of 
the  natural  size;  to  this  striking  peculiarity  we  nmst  add  the 
excessive  study  of  detail,  and  a  minute  care  to  reproduce  the 
slightest  accessories.  Thus  the  spectator  feels  more  surprise 
than  admiration ;  he  counts  the  flies  scattered  over  the  animal's 
back,  and  the  roughened  parts  of  the  horns,  and  remains  almost 
unmoved  before  such  an  exact  and  rigorous  copy  of  nature. 

The  "  Lecture  on  Anatomy  "  is  a  work  of  a  different  character. 


48  HOLLAND, 


The  spectator  cannot  avoid  feeling  a  certain  emotion  when 
studying  the  scene  which  the  painter  places  before  him.  A 
dead  body  is  lying  extended,  the  students  surround  it,  listening 
to  the  lecture  dtdivered  by  Professor  Tulp,  in  coiyore  vili.  This 
is  the  suliject,  which  is  not  in  itself  very  attractive ;  but  the 
body  is  unmistakably  a  dead  body ;  the  head  of  the  professor 
and  those  of  the  physicians  are  portraits ;  each  is  represented 
with  his  natural  characteristics,  his  usual  gestures,  his  peculiar 
temperament,  expressed  in  such  lively  though  apparently  insig- 
nificant detail,  thanks  to  the  genius  of  Eembrandt,  as  clearly 
to  show  the  impression  made  on  each  person  present  at  this  dis- 
mal scene,  the  points  in  which  they  differ,  and  those  in  which 
they  resemble  each  other. 

Many  otlier  works  at  the  Hague  Museum  are  as  remarkable 
as  the  preceding,  without  being  so  well  known.  They  all  have 
the  same  character  peculiar  to  the  genius  of  this  people  and 
this  school  of  artists,  the  last  whicli  has  appeared  in  the  history 
of  art.  In  the  "  Woman  at  tlie  Window,"  and  the  "  Woman 
with  the  Lamp,"  by  Gerard  Dow,  the  "  Herb-Market  at  Amster- 
dam," the  "  Musicians,"  and  the  "  Huntsman,"  by  Metzu,  in  the 
''  Painter  and  his  Wife,"  and  .the  "  Soap-Bul)bles  "  of  ]\Iieris  — 
in  all  of  them,  in  fact  —  we  constantly  find  the  same  representa- 
tion of  the  actions  of  ordinary  life,  and  of  facts  patent  to  every 
one ,  there  is  nothing  ideal  or  elevated,  nothing  which  strikes 
us  as  great.  Contemporary  history,  the  remarkable  deeds  of 
heroes,  love,  religion,  or  the  glory  of  one's  native  country,  have 
only  inspired  these  masters  with  citizen  scenes,  treated  in  a 
citizen-like  manner.  They  have  felt  only  the  material  side  of 
life  and  nature ;  dreams  and  imagination  have  evaded  their 
genius,  which  only  shows  itself  in  conscientious  studies  of  sub- 
jects, at  times  the  most  vulgar  and  grotesque,  in  copies  of  com- 
mon models,  without  grandeur  or  elevation,  in  which  tliere  is 
nothing  to  awaken  the  vibration  of  those  noble  sentiments  which 
Art  is  destined  to  arouse  in  the  heart  of  man. 

We  shall  have  again  to  return  to  this  subject  when  visiting 


THE    HAGUE.  49 


the  museum  at  Amsterdam,  and  shall  then  desciibe  more  fully 
the  characteristics  of  the  Dutch  school  of  painting. 

Prince  William  proposed,  about  the  year  1840,  to  have  a  pal- 
ace built  for  him  by  an  English  architect,  —  the  most  absurd 
palace  that  ever  excited  the  mirth  of  an  architect.  It  is  said 
to  be  Gothic ;  but  we  cannot  tell  why.  It  is  in  every  respect 
a  work  of  folly,  and  beyond  the  bounds  of  reason :  its  turrets, 
machicolations,  and  half-hidden  apertures  cannot  be  described. 
The  strangest  thing  of  all  is,  that  this  grotesque  assemblage  is 
only  an  outward  show,  a  mere  decoration.  Behind  it  is  the 
veritable  palace,  with  real  walls,  real  windows ;  a  palace  in 
which  it  is  possible  to  live  and  to  endure  life. 

In  front  of  William's  palace  is  a  Neo-Grecian  edifice,  which 
is  the  royal  residence. 

One  who  was  fond  of  finding  fault  with  the  arcliitecture  of 
the  Middle  Ages  said  one  day,  as  he  showed  us  a  stonemason's 
shop  near  one  of  the  cemeteries  of  Paris  :  "  See  how  easy  it  is  to 
make  Gothic  architecture ;  it  is  within  the  reach  of  every  mind 
and  every  workman."  This  simpleton  considered  funeral  monu- 
ments as  types  of  Gothic  architecture.  He  might  have  repeated 
his  tirade  before  Prince  William's  palace.  Instead  of  entering 
into  a  long  discussion  we  should  then  have  asked  him  to  "  face- 
about  "  towards  the  royal  palace,  and  should  have  cried  in  our 
turn  :  "  See,  then,  how  easy  it  is  to  construct  Grecian  archi- 
tecture." 

This  simple  story  shows  that  neitlier  good  Gothic  nor  good 
Grecian  architecture  is  easy,  and  that  we  ought  not  to  employ 
either  one  or  the  other  indifferently ;  that,  on  the  contrary,  each 
has  its  raison  cVetre  and  its  conditions  of  existence ;  that,  indeed, 
at  the  present  day,  a  supposed  Grecian  palace  ought  not  to  have 
been  built  at  the  Hague  opposite  to  one  pretending  to  be  Gothic. 

The  churches  of  the  Hague  possess  little  interest.  The 
Groote-Kerk  dates  from  the  fourteenth  century ;  it  has  lost  its 
first  character,  and  there  remains  no  trace  of  the  original  plan 
except  the  large  tower  at  the  entrance. 


50 


HOLLAND 


The  Nieuwe-Kerk  is  built  entirely  of  bricks  of  different  forms 
and  dimensions ;  all  the  plain  mouldings,  fillets,  small  columns, 
and  mullions  are  constructed  of  bricks  of  the  requisite  shapes ; 
these  bricks  are  not  faced,  and  are  simply  jointed  together,  — 
a  logical  and  reasonable  process,  far  preferable  to  that  which 
consists  in  covering  brick  walls  with  a  sufficiently  thick  coat  to 


Fig.  21. —The  Town  Hall  at  the  Hague. 

obtain  in  plaster  the  desired  forms.     "We  see,  also,  in  Germany 
the  former  process  prevalent  and  in  constant  use. 

The  Town  Hall  (Stadhuis)  is  of  the  sixteenth  century,  and 
underwent  important  modifications  about  1730.  It  is  placed  at 
the  corner  of  two  streets,  and  shows  the  traditional  belfry  still 


THE    HAGUE. 


51 


intact,  and  the  flight  of  steps,  from  the  top  of  vvhicli  orators  used 
to  address  the  people. 

The  architectural  details  are  excessive  and  somewhat  exag- 
gerated ;  this  defect,  however,  does  not  entirely  destroy  all  in- 
terest in  this  little  edifice  (Fig.  21). 


Fig.  22. —Fish-market. 


Fig.  23.  —  Ground-plan. 

(Scale,  .039  inch  to  the  yard.) 


Near  the  Town  Hall  stands  the  fish-market,  sheltered  above, 
but  open  to  all  the  winds,  an  arrangement  not  conducive  to 
comfort,  but  evidently  favorable  to  cleanliness  and  the  avoidance 


i)'J. 


HOLLAND. 


of  unpleasant  odors.  This  market  is  covered  with  a  sloping 
platform  roof;  the  tish-woman  stands  at  the  lower  side,  behind 
a  trough  in  which  are  the  lish ;  the  customer,  protected  from  the 
rain  and  the  drip  from  the  roof,  walks  round  under  the  project- 
ing part.  This  market,  represented  in  perspective  in  Fig.  22, 
and  in  ground-plan  in  Fig.  23,  is  very  economical,  but  inadequate 
for  a  large  city,  and  yet  far  superior  to  those  we  find  in  many 
of  our  provincial  towns. 


y^/^ 


^^'2!>*-^Jl*i4^^^^s,2WU         —      ,vV»*^'   ^^^ 


Fig.  24.  —  Country  Vehicle. 


The  country  people  who  come  to  the  city  use  curious  vehicles 
of  varnished  deal,  ornamented  with  carvino'.  ^Mien  the  weatlier 
requires  it,  these  carriages  are  covered  with  a  linen  tilt.  The 
driver  sits  on  the  single  seat  in  front,  the  rest  of  the  vehicle 
being  intended  to  receive  packages  (Fig.  24). 

The  Hague  has  erected  a  statue  to  King  William  II.  and  two 
to  William  tlie  Silent.  With  the  exception  of  the  rider  in  the 
equestrian  statue  of  the  latter  king,  which  is  well  executed,  the 


THE    HAGUE 


53 


three  works  are  but  mediocre.  The  monument  erected  to  per- 
petuate the  remembrance  of  the  day  when  the  independence  of 
Holland  was  proclaimed  possesses  no  very  great  interest ;  but  it 
is  the  most  important  of  its  kind,  and  on  this  account  we  give  a 
sketch  of  it  (Fig.  25), 


Fig.  25.  —  Monument  in  Conuneinoration  of  the  Independence  of  Holland. 

Another  building  also  awakens  political  recollections,  but  such 
as  are  written  in  characters  of  blood  in  the  history  of  the  Hague. 
This  is  the  prison  which  served  as  the  last  abode  of  Barneveld 
Olden,  the  chief  of  the  republican  party,  who  was  assassinated 
in  1617;  and  of  the  two  brothers  De  Witt,  the  grand  pension- 


54 


HOLLAND. 


ahes  or  prime  ministers  of  Holland,  at  first  the  idols  and  then 
the  victims  of  the  people. 

Places  that  have  witnessed  gloomy  tragedies  of  this  kind  have 
usually  changed  their  character  and  appearance,  and  the  traveller 
cannot  find  in  them  the  traces  of  the  past.  The  hall  in  the 
Chateau  de  Blois,  where  the  Duke  of  Guise  was  assassinated, 
now  richly  painted  and  restored,  certainly  inspires  us  with  no 
melancholy  ideas ;  the  old  prison  of  Cardinal  la  Balue,  where  he 


Fig.  28.  —  View  of  a  House  in  an  Avenue  at  the  Hague. 

was  shut  up  in  his  celebrated  iron  cage,  serves  at  present  as  a 
bedroom  for  a  pretty  Touraine  peasant-girl;  the  Castle  of  St. 
Angelo,  at  Rome,  is  covered  with  the  joyous  inscriptions  of  our 
French  soldiers ;  in  the  Tower  of  London  delicate  fair  young 
English  ladies  gayly  lay  their  heads  on  Anne  Boleyn's  block, 
while  the  attendant  touches  their  white  necks  with  the  ed^re  of 
a  tin  sabre.  The  prison  of  the  Hague,  on  the  contrary,  yet  re- 
mains a  gloomy  and  desolate  place ;  it  is  still  the  prison  in  all 


THE    HAGUE, 


55 


its  horrors ;  a  staircase  of  worn  stones,  fortress  walls,  cells  insuf- 
ficiently lighted  by  narrow  windows  so  high  that  the  hands  can- 
not reach  them,  and  defended  by  iron  bars  and  gratings ;  heavy 
thick  doors,  studded  with  large-headed  nails,  and  closing  with 
enormous  bolts  which  slip  into  their  sockets  with  a  dismal 
sound ;  and  on  the  walls  words  of  hatred  and  vengeance,  and 
traces  of  the  bloody  hands  of  the  wretched  men  who  sought  to 
defend  themselves  in  the  last  convulsions  of  terror  and  despair. 


Fig.  27.  —  Ground-plan.  Fig.  28.  —  First-Floor. 

(Scale,  .078  inch  to  the  yard.) 

1.  Hall.  6.  Winter  garden, 

2.  Porch.  7.  Morning-room. 

3.  Area.  8.  Enclosed  balcony  (Loggia). 

4.  Drawing-room.  9.  Bedroom. 

5.  Dining-room.  10.  Dressing-room. 

The  dwelling-houses  of  the  Has^ue  differ  from  those  which 
w^e  have  seen  at  Eotterdam,  and  those  which  we  shall  see  at 
Amsterdam.  The  Hague,  as  we  have  said,  is  a  city  of  pleasure. 
The  stranger  who  pitches  his  tent  there  thinks  only  of  the  means 
of  passing  his  time  agreeably.  The  Dutchman,  who  retires  there 
after  having  made  his  fortune  by  selling  for  seventy-five  francs 
in  Europe  the  'picol  of  sugar  or  of  coffee  which  he  bought  in  Java 
for  seven  francs,  has  no  other  care  than  to  enjoy  the  riches  which 
he  gained  so  rapidly  by  such  a  lucrative  trade.     It  is  interesting 


56 


HOLLAND. 


to  observe  how,  without  renouncing  entirely  the  habits  inherent 
in  his  race  and  the  usages  which  belong  to  his  nature,  he  passes 
from  the  sombre  houses  of  the  Hoog-straat  or  the  Kalver-straat^ 
from  the  fetid  canals  of  the  Eokin  or  the  Amstel,  to  the  cheerful 


Fig.  29.  —  Elevation. 
(Scale,  1  3  iucli  to  the  yard.) 


dwellings  of  Langevoorhout  or  of  Princessgratch,  to  the  gay  villas 
of  the  Wood  or  of  Scheveninge.n. 

The  houses  in  the  luxurious  quarters  of  the  Hague  are  large 


THE    HAGUE.  57 


and  conveniently  situated,  always  surrounded  by  gardens  filled 
with  brilliant  flowers,  and,  in  proportion  to  the  means  of  the 
proprietor,  adorned  with  external  conservatories  and  glazed  por- 
ticos, forming  an  outer  saloon  (Fig.  26).  We  no  longer  meet 
with  fa(^ades  of  such  monotonous  and  frightful  uniformity  as  are 
seen  in  all  other  Dutch  towns  :  the  height,  the  dimensions,  and 
even  the  color  of  almost  all  of  these  vary. 

Still  the  true  Dutchman,  even  at  the  Hague,  cannot  renounce 
the  traditions  of  his  whole  life  ;  and  here  we  give,  as  an  example 
of  this  transformation,  a  house  in  which  he  has  endeavored  to 
reconcile  his  old  recollections  with  his  new  aspirations  (Figs.  27, 
28).  He  always  separates  it  from  the  public  road  by  an  area, 
which  gives  access  to  the  kitchen  and  oftices ;  a  covered  entry 
above  leads  to  a  hall,  wliich  opens,  on  the  right,  to  the  dining- 
room,  and  on  the  left  to  the  drawing-room.  Behind  these  rooms 
is  a  conservatory  or  winter  garden ;  on  the  first  floor  are  the 
dw^elling-rooms  of  the  family;  the  princij^al  bedroom  is,  as  a 
concession  to  modern  ideas,  ornamented  with  a  balcony,  but  tliis 
balcony  is  enclosed  on  all  sides,  and  is  always  kept  shut,  so  that  one 
can,  without  being  seen,  notice  all  that  passes  without  (Fig.  29). 

Environs  of  the  Hague.  —  Close  by  the  gates  of  the  city  is  the 
celebrated  promenade  called  the  Wood,  for  which  the  whole  of 
Holland  professes  the  warmest  admiration,  and  which  Gerard  de 
Nerval  once  asserted  to  have  been  raised  on  piles  and  subse- 
quently planted. 

When  the  sky  is  clear,  and  the  sun  shines,  which  seldom 
occurs  in  Holland,  this  park  is  on  fete  days  the  rendezvous  of 
the  whole  population  of  the  city.  Eich  citizens,  workmen  in 
their  Sunday  clothes,  and  paupers  in  the  livery  of  their  asylum, 
come  here  to  listen  to  concerts  in  the  open  air,  given  gratuitously 
by  the  military  bands,  which  are  stationed  on  a  small  island, 
around  which  the  promenaders  pass,  always  going  methodically 
in  the  same  direction,  without  interfering  ^vith  each  other,  and 
especially  without  any  haste.  Carriages  are  rarely  to  be  seen ; 
we  remember  that  one  day  we  met  but  two.     In  one  were  the 


58  HOLLAND. 


Queen-Dowager  aud  the  King;  in  the  other,  an  odd  coincidence, 
was  a  Frenchman  who  acquired  a  sad  notoriety  at  the  time  of 
our  last  civil  discords. 

As  the  royal  jDersonages  passed,  there  was  no  cry,  no  noisy 
demonstration ;  every  one  uncovered  at  their  approach,  whilst 
they  themselves  saluted  the  crowd  with  that  automatic  move- 
ment peculiar  to  crowned  heads.  The  presence  of  their  king 
awakened  neither  transports  nor  enthusiasm  in  those  who  were 
present,  but  only  simple  marks  of  regard,  the  testimony  of  the 
respect  which  is  due  to  the  representative  of  a  government  freely 
accepted  by  the  nation.  This  attitude,  however,  was  very  noble, 
aud  presented  a  striking  contrast  to  the  silly  manifestations 
which  are  seen  elsewhere  under  similar  circumstances. 

It  would  be  wrong  to  compare  the  Wood  at  the  Hague  with 
our  Bois  de  Boulogne,  since  there  could  be  no  points  of  resem- 
blance between  them.  They  present  two  entirely  distinct  as- 
pects, each  having  its  own  merit,  but  different.  The  soil  in  the 
Wood  is  perfectly  flat  and  level ;  water  is  abundant ;  a  hole 
made  with  a  walking-stick  in  the  ground  would  become  a  small 
well.  The  walks  are  bordered  with  superb  trees ;  the  roots  of 
the  beeches  passing  down  into  a  damp  soil  give  to  the  bark  and 
foliage  a  whitish  tint,  to  which  the  rays  of  the  sun  communicate 
a  quasi-metallic  glistening,  which  is  represented  in  the  landscape 
of  the  national  painters. 

In  the  midst  of  this  park  stands  the  royal  palace  called  the 
"House  in  the  Wood,". a  rich,  citizen-like  habitation,  dating 
from  the  seventeenth  century ;  it  contains  a  certain  number  of 
pictures  and  works  of  art  of  secondary  interest. 

Different  avenues  extend  from  the  park,  and  are  for  a  consid- 
erable distance  bordered  with  villas  and  country  houses,  in 
wliich  tlie  rich  Dutchmen  of  Holland  or  Java  come  to  retire  and 
enjoy  themselves  after  their  fashion.  For  the  love  of  tlieir  native 
land  is  so  great  in  these  natures  otherwise  so  calm  and  cold,  that 
whatever  may  be  the  position  wliich  they  have  acquired,  the 
distance  they  may  have  to  traverse,  the  hopes  which  have  been 


THE    HAGUE.  59 


realized  or  disappointed,  they  have  always  a  tendency  to  return 
to  the  home  of  their  childhood.  They  resemble  in  this  respect 
the  Chinese  coolie,  who  is  content  to  remain  for  live  years  among 
the  guano  heaps  of  Peru,  in  order  to  gain  enough  for  a  burial- 
place  in  the  soil  of  the  Celestial  Empire. 

We  had  an  introduction  to  the  proprietor  of  one  of  these 
houses,  and  we  went  with  him  to  inspect  it.  The  richness  of 
the  furniture  and  the  objects  of  Oriental  art  which  filled  it 
astonished  us,  and  our  admiration  made  him  smile.  He  then 
showed  us  some  large  colored  photographic  views  representiug 
his  habitation  at  Samarang,  —  a  veritable  palace  entirely  of  mar- 
ble, surrounded  by  a  veranda  of  teak-wood.  Three  distinct 
buildings,  protected  from  the  sun  by  a  double  roof,  are  connected 
together  by  long  galleries  suj^ported  by  pillars  of  carved  wood ; 
these  pavilions  contain  a  dining-room,  an  immense  vivarium, 
and  a  drawing-room.  In  each  apartment  there  was  a  ventilating 
apparatus  of  a  somewhat  primitive  kind,  —  gigantic  fans,  which 
a  Malay,  dressed  in  a  blue  robe,  worked  by  means  of  a  string 
passed  round  a  roller,  and  which  were  sufficient  to  keep  these 
vast  rooms  cool,  whether  they  were  open  or  closed  on  two  or 
more  sides,  according  to  the  hour  of  the  day.  Then  there  were 
immense  gardens  filled  with  the  productions  of  the  exuberant 
vegetation  of  the  tropics,  —  fruits  whose  juices  are  deadly,  plants 
whose  perfume  is  j)oison.  And,  to  complete  this  establishment, 
stables  for  four-and-twenty  horses,  and  rooms  for  eighty  servants, 
whom  you  might  see  dressed  in  the  richest  costumes,  and  per- 
forming their  various  functions. 

The  dwelling  at  the  Hague  must  have  appeared  poor  and  mean 
to  this  man,  habituated  to  the  luxury  and  splendor  of  the  East ; 
and  yet  this  nabob  feels  occasionally  that  it  is  necessary  for  him 
to  abandon  for  a  while  the  j)rincely  life  that  he  leads  there.  He 
quits  his  palace,  the  dazzling  sunshine,  and  the  natural  luxuri- 
ance of  Java,  and  returns  with  delight  to  revisit  his  little  villa, 
and  the  fogs  and  tulips  of  his  beloved  Holland.  He  forgets  his 
riches  and  his  power,  and  becomes  again  a  simple  citizen,  the 


60  HOLLAND. 


modest  proprietor  of  a  little  house  at  the  Hague,  in  which  he  re- 
sumes the  habits  of  his  race  and  the  recollections  of  his  childhood. 

"  Have  you  any  architects  at  Java  ? "  Ave  asked  our  host,  as  we 
took  our  leave  of  him. 

"  Yes,  certainly.  We  have,  first,  the  European  architects  who, 
imbued  with  the  traditions  of  the  West,  come  to  construct  there 
houses  on  the  models  which  are  seen  everywhere  in  Holland  or 
elsewhere ;  they  endeavor  to  recall  in  Java  the  remembrance  of 
Grecian,  Eoman,  or  Gothic  buildings  which  they  have  more  or 
less  understood.^  The  result  attained  is  what  you  may  suppose. 
Besides  these,  we  have  the  Chinese,  who  do  not  strive  to  give  the 
predominance  to  their  personal  tastes  and  their  own  manner  of 
looking  at  things,  but  who  have,  on  the  contrary,  a  remarkable 
talent  for  assimilation ;  they  are,  at  the  same  time,  to  a  great 
extent  architects,  engineers,  and  contractors.  A  Chinaman  be- 
comes whatever  he  wishes ;  they  listen  attentively  to  the  direc- 
tions of  their  employer,  speaking  not  to  give  him  new  ideas,  but 
only  to  induce  him  to  develop  his  own.  A  sketch,  often  a  mere 
tracing  on  the  ground,  is  sufficient,  and  they  produce  immediately 
all  that  you  wdsh.  Here  are  buildings  in  wood  and  in  marble. 
Notice  how  thoroughly  the  architects  have  understood,  according 
to  their  destined  use,  both  the  materials. which  they  have  em- 
ployed and  the  position  which  they  should  occupy.  It  is  impos- 
sible not  to  distinguish,  at  first  sight,  that  this  compartment 
contains  the  aquarium,  this  the  drawing-room,  the  other  the 
family  sitting-rooms,  and  the  fourth  the  secondary  apartments. 
As  to  the  marvellous  decorations  and  the  infinite  variety  of  in- 
ternal arrangements,  it  is  the  result  of  Chinese  and  Hindoo  art 
united  with  the  effects  of  that  dazzling  light  which  gilds,  ani-  • 
mates,  and  throws  into  relief  the  simplest  objects. 

"  It  is  wonderful,  in  fact ;  and  to  think  that  such  results  have 
been  obtained  by  people  whom  we  consider  barbarians." 

The  Chinese,  barbarians  ?    Ah  !  well. 

^  Let  us  not  be  accused  of  exaggeration,  since  we  Frenchmen  have  hnilt  a  Neo- 
Grecian  palace  for  the  Governor  of  Saigon,  r.nd  a  Gothic  catliedral  at  Shanghai. 


SCHEVENINGEN.  61 


SCHEVENINGEN. 

THE  VILLAS.  — THE  CHURCH. 

"One  can  go  from  the  Hague  to  the  sea  in  less  than  half  an  hour  by  a  veiy 
pleasant  road.     We  saw  on  our  way  a  carriage  driven  by  sails."  —  Regnard. 

A  PASS  AGE  in  a  trcsckiiit  is  a  mode  of  travelling  still  held 
in  honor  in  Holland,  and  it  is  well  to  describe  it  to  the 
reader,  in  order  that  he  may  avoid  it.  One  must  be  possessed 
of  Dutch  calmness  of  disposition  to  be  able  to  endure  a  trip, 
however  short,  in  those  hea^y,  flat,  and  narrow  boats,  towed  by 
a  horse  along  canals  of  thick  and  greenish  water.  You  can  see 
nothing,  for  the  canal  is  enclosed  within  two  very  high  banks ; 
nothing  can  be  heard,  for  there  is  no  noise ;  your  travelling  com- 
panions, usually  inhabitants  of  the  neighljoring  villages,  are  mo- 
tionless, fixed  to  their  seats ;  they  have  nothing  to  say  to  each 
other,  and,  certainly,  not  much  more  to  think  about.  The  men 
smoke,  the  women  knit;  their  heavy  countenances,  unvarying 
and  without  expression,  show  no  traces  of  any  impression  or 
emotion  whatever.  Sometimes  the  boat  stops,  and  draws  up  to 
the  side ;  another  tresckuit  is  coming  in  the  opposite  direction. 
It  is  more  than  a  hundred  yards  off,  and  there  is  ten  times  as 
much  time  as  would  be  required  to  get  out  of  its  way,  and  to 
avoid  delay ;  but  it  would  never  come  into  the  mind  of  any  per- 
son in  this  country  to  do  anything  in  a  hurry.  We  must  there- 
fore bear  the  inconvenience  with  patience,  thinking  with  regret 
of  the  tramroad  carriages  which  perform  the  journey  from  the 
Hague  to  Scheveningen  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  and  of  Eegnard's 
carriage  with  sails,  which  is  no  longer  in  use  except  on  the  plains 
of  Hong  Kong ;  but  still,  at  last,  we  arrive  at  our  destination. 


62  HOLLAND. 


But  to  do  justice  to  the  tresckuit,  it  gives  us  oue  moment  of 
solid  satisfaction,  and  that  is  when  we  leave  it. 

That  which  most  astonishes  a  traveller  when  he  first  lands  at 
Batavia  is  not  the  brilliant  shells  or  the  fan-palms,  the  marble 
verandas  or  teak-wood  kiosks.  Nothing  of  this  kind  seems  to 
impress  a  stranger  so  strongly  as  to  see  under  this  burning  sky, 
and  surrounded  by  such  luxuriant  vegetation,  narrow  and  mean 
brick  houses  with  fantastic  gables,  built  on  this  new  soil  by 
Dutch  colonists,  in  remembrance  of  the  mother  country. 

A  similar,  though  contrary,  impression  awaits  the  traveller 
who  passes  through  certain  environs  of  the  Hague,  and  goes  to 
Scheveningen  or  "Woorburg.  In  the  midst  of  clumps  of  shrubs 
and  groups  of  tropical  flowers,  raised  in  hot-houses  and  brought 
out  on  grand  occasions,  may  be  seen  houses  open  to  the  winds 
of  heaven,  showing  nothing  but  verandas,  porticos,  and  enclosed 
or  open  balconies.  We  ask  with  astonishment  how  such  build- 
ings can  be  habitable  under  this  gi'ay  and  misty  sky.  They  are 
doubtless  very  uncomfortable ;  but  when,  by  cliance,  a  bright 
ray  of  sunshine  lights  up  the  landscape,  the  eye  can  see  it  and 
rejoice. 

We  give  the  plan  of  one  of  these  dwelling-houses,  which  is  in 
process  of  construction.  All  of  them  have  not  been  erected  with 
the  same  care  as  this,  and  with  so  much  attention  to  detail 
Very  often  recollections  derived  from  a  distant  country  are  not 
so  happily  carried  out,  and  in  every  case  this  mutual  transfer- 
rence  of  works  adapted  specially  to  climates  and  necessities  so 
opposite  to  each  other  is  not  precisely  satisfactory,  either  to 
logic  or  reason. 

This  villa  (Figs.  30  and  31)  has  a  north  and  south  aspect, 
with  a  view  of  the  sea.  On  that  front  it  has  a  large  loggia,  — 
a  kind  of  conservatory,  —  communicating  with  the  ojDen  galleries 
on  tlie  lower  floor;  a  veranda,  which  establishes  a  connnuni- 
cation  between  the  apartments  on  the  ground-floor,  shelters  the 
south  front  from  the  sun.  On  tlie  opposite  side  of  the  house 
there  is  a  porch,  serving  as  a  covered  entry  for  carriages.     On 


SCHEVENINGEN. 


63 


the  first  floor  are  the  family  rooms,  all  having  balconies  either 
enclosed  or  open.  The  two  principal  bedrooms  show  in  their 
arrangement  a  great  knowledge  of  the  art  of  comfort ;  each  is 
provided  with  a  dressing-room ;  the  beds  are  placed  on  an  eleva- 
tion in  a  recess  formed  by  the  projection  of  the  partition  w^all, 
thus  leaving  a  wide  empty  space  in  the  room;  they  are  also 
completely  sheltered  from  draught,  or  from  the  too  bright  light, 
which,  when  reflected  from  the  water,  is  rather  fatiguing  to  the 
eye.  If  it  is  fine,  the  occupier  may,  without  leaving  his  apart- 
ment, go  out  into  the  enclosed  balcony  to  breathe  the  fresh  air 


I      4-        I        5 


Fig.  30.  —  Ground-floor.  Fig.  31.  —  First-floor. 

(Scale,  .039  inch  to  the  yard.) 


1.  Porch. 

2.  Antechamber. 

3.  Morning-room. 

4.  Drawing-room. 

5.  Dining-room. 

6.  Open  gallery. 


7. 

8. 

9. 
10. 
11. 


Closet. 
Bedrooms. 
Enclosed  balcony. 
Dressing-rooms. 
Water-closets. 


from  the  sea ;  if  it  is  wet,  he  can  sit  at  his  fireside,  sheltered 
from  the  rain  and  wind,  and  enjoy  the  prospect  to  be  seen 
through  his  wide  sash  windows,  which  are  securely  closed. 

The  inferior  apartments  and  the  offices  are  placed  on  the  op- 
posite side  of  the  house,  w^here  the  view  is  less  interesting.  The 
side  facing  the  north  has  no  opening,  but  is  a  dead  wall,  solidly 
constructed,  for  it  was  necessary  on  this  aspect  to  be  more  com- 
pletely protected  from  bad  w^eather.  lustead  of  an  ordinary  wall 
of  one  thickness,  the  builder  has  erected  two ;  that  on  the  out- 
side is  about  1  ft.  8  inches  in  thickness,  and  the  inner  wall, 
formed  of  bricks  placed  lengthwise,  is  about  4 J  inches  wide. 


64  HOLLAND. 


These  two  walls  are  separated  by  an  interval  of  4  inches ;  they 
are  connected  only  by  cross-pieces  of  iron  placed  at  the  level  of 
the  floors,  intended  to  bind  them  together,  without,  at  the  same 
time,  allowing  any  damp  to  be  communicated  from  one  to  the 
other ;  the  floors  being  supported  by  the  inner  wall,  the  outer 
has  only  its  own  weight  to  sustain.  Four  narrow  openings  are 
made  in  the  outside,  so  as  to  keep  up  a  draught,  and  at  the  level 
of  the  ground  is  a  small  channel,  hollowed  like  the  stones  of  a 
gutter,  which  receives  all  the  w^ater  produced  by  fog,  and  any 
damp  that  may  have  passed  through  the  outer  wall ;  the  paper- 
hangings  of  the  internal  wall  are  thus  protected  from  all  external 
influences,  and  remain  perfectly  dry. 

This  system  of  double  walls  is  frequently  employed  in  Russia, 
and  the  holloAV  space  between  the  two  serves  to  conduct  the  heat 
supplied  by  warming  apparatus,  which  thus  raises  the  tempera- 
ture by  warming  large  surfaces,  instead  of  introducing  heated 
air  by  a  single  opening,  the  neighborhood  of  ^vhich  is  often  disa- 
greeable. 

The  decoration  of  the  interior  of  this  villa  is  not  less  deserving 
of  attention  than  the  external  arrangements.  Deal  is  the  only 
wood  employed  ;  but,  notwithstanding  such  simple  materials,  the 
result  obtained  is  excellent,  and  unquestionably  superior  to  that 
produced  by  the  use  of  imitative  marble  and  papier  mache  so 
much  in  fashion  with  us. 

The  joists  of  the  ceiling  are  left  uncovered ;  there  is  a  mould- 
ing on  their  edges,  relieved  by  stripes  of  color ;  other  bands  of 
very  bright  tint,  traced  on  the  joints  of  the  boards,  serve  to  form 
regular  compartments,  relieving  the  bright  and  uniform  ground 
of  the  deal,  w^hich  glistens  w^ith  a  thick  coat  of  varnish.  All  this 
is  very  simple,  but  free  from  pretension  and  vulgarity. 

Fig.  32  show^s  the  general  plan  adopted  for  the  construction 
and  decoration  of  the  principal  staircase  leading  to  the  first  floor. 
The  steps,  string-boards,  supports,  and  even  the  balustrades 
themselves,  are  entirely  made  of  deal;  some  parts  are  simply 
moulded  or  carved  in  the  solid  wood. 


SCHEVENINGEN. 


65 


The  details  bear  the  im^jress  of  Gothic  ideas,  and  have  been 


Fig.  32.  —  A  Staircase. 

very  carefully  studied ;  the  materials  employed  are  only  brick 
and  wood,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  pieces  of  Belgian  stone. ^ 

1  For  further  details,  and  the  drawings  to  which  we  have  alluded  in  our  de- 
scriptions, see  "  Habitations  Modem es,  par  MM.  Viollet-le-due  et  Felix  Narjoux, 
architectes."— V«  A.  Morel  et  C^%  editeurs,  Paris. 


66  HOLLAND. 


The  village  of  Scheveningen,  which  is  the  Dieppe  of  Holland, 
contains  nothing  interesting  except  its  country  houses.  There 
is,  however,  in  the  part  inhabited  by  fishermen,  a  church  (Fig. 
33)  which  was  built  in  the  fourteenth  century ;  the  choir  was 
erected  in  the  fifteenth ;  the  nave  and  the  side-aisles  are  covered 
with  the  same  roof.  This  church  is,  at  present,  devoted  to  the 
Protestant  form  of  worship,  and  has  lost  much  of  the  interest 
which  it  must  have  formerly  possessed  (Fig.  34). 


Fig.  33.  —  Ground-plan  of  Church  at  Scheveningen. 

(Scale,  .039  inch  to  the  yard.) 

On  a  dune,  the  base  of  which  is  consolidated  by  a  brick  wall, 
are  arranged  three  hundred  boats  which  the  fishermen  drew  up 
for  shelter  from  a  storm  of  wind  last  night.  They  are  lying- 
there  in  quiet,  in  perfect  order,  and  ready  to  put  again  to  sea. 
These  boats  are  heavy,  thick,  and  massive,  and  are  very  unlike 
any  that  you  may  find  elsewhere.  Leeboards,  fixed  on  the  gun- 
wales by  a  screw,  hang  over  the  sides  during  rough  weather,  in 
order  to  lessen  the  oscillation  caused  by  the  waves.  Whether  this 
plan  is  efficacious,  or  likely  to  be  advantageous  to  boats  intended 


SCHEVENINGEN. 


67 


for  such  service  as  these  fishing-smacks,  is  very  questionable ; 
at  all  events,  it  appears  to  us  that  this  contrivance  must  inter- 
fere with  the  management  of  the  boats,  and  when  the  sea  is 
rough  prevent  their  rising  easily  over  the  w^aves.^ 


Fig.  34.  —  Church  at  Scheveningen. 

The  sea-shore  at  Scheveningen  is  very  curious  :  there  is  an 
immense  extent  of  fine,  soft,  level  sand,  which  you  reach,  not  by 

1  These  boards  are,  more  probably,  used  to  prevent  the  boats  making  leeway 
while  fishing.  —  Tr. 


68  HOLLAND. 


going  down,  but  up,  for  the  sea  here  is  not  below,  but  considera- 
bly above  you.  The  depth  of  water  is  so  slight,  that  bathers 
make  use  of  machines  on  four  wheels,  and  drawn  by  a  horse. 
Before  the  vehicle  stops,  you  have  had  time  to  undress ;  the  door 
is  then  opened,  and  you  plunge  into  the  water  in  a  narrow  space 
protected  from  prying  eyes  by  sail-cloth.  You  may,  indeed,  by 
raising  this  screen,  swim  out  into  the  open  sea,  if  you  wish  to  do 
so.  When  you  have  enjoyed  your  bath,  you  re-enter  the  ma- 
chine, the  horse  starts  afresh,  and  you  have  time  to  dress  as  you 
return. 

While  speaking  of  Scheveningen,  we  may  mention  some  traits 
of  Dutch  life  and  manners  which  are  obvious,  yet  w^orthy  of  no- 
tice. The  roads  or  canals  from  the  Hague  to  Scheveningen  are, 
during  almost  their  whole  length,  bordered  by  villas,  the  form  or 
the  good  taste  of  which  we  do  not  now  discuss ;  but  their  ap- 
pearance is  cheerful,  smiling,  and  very  agreeable.  In  front  are 
hedges,  flowers,  grass-plots,  borders  filled  with  richly  colored 
plants  carefully  cultivated.  From  the  midst  of  these  flower-beds 
the  eye  is  charmed  by  the  sight  of  the  country,  the  beauties  of 
the  neighboring  landscape,  the  pedestrians  and  the  carriages  that 
pass  along.  Behind  these  buildings  is  usually  found  a  confined, 
enclosed  space,  very  dull  and  uninteresting,  with  a  ditch  of  stag- 
nant water,  and  the  unfailing-  windmill.  Ah,  well  1  this  is  the 
spot  which  the  Dutchman  has  reserved  for  his  own  use ;  here  he 
feels  at  home  and  united  with  his  family  ;  this  ditch,  this  wind- 
mill, are  a  source  of  enjoyment  to  them  all ;  they  neither  see  any 
one  nor  are  themselves  seen,  and  they  are  happy.  As  to  that 
part  of  the  dwelling  left  exposed  to  the  public,  it  is  entirely  sac- 
rificed to  show.  The  Dutchman  there  makes  an  exhibition  of 
his  fortune,  and  of  the  enjoyment  that  it  is  capable  of  affording 
to  him ;  he  satisfies  in  this  manner  his  vanity  and  his  love  for 
seclusion ;  for  if  he  were  actuated  solely  by  this  latter  feeling, 
nothing  would  prevent  him  from  concealing  and  at  the  same 
time  enjoying  the  riches  which  he  now  exhibits  to  the  eyes  of 
others. 


I 


SCHEVENINGEN.  69 

We  have  another  instance  of  this.  The  sea-shore  at  Scheven- 
in,Q;-en  is  frequented  during  the  season  by  elegant  people.  The 
women,  instead  of  showing  themselves  and  making  a  display  as 
they  do  in  other  countries,  install  themselves  in  small  huts  or 
summer-houses,  which  conceal  them.  They  do  not  mix  with 
each  other ;  there  is  no  exhibition  or  competition  in  dress,  but 
they  live  retired  and  by  themselves.  Yet  they  are  all  rich ; 
many  are  very  rich.  They  often  possess  a  peculiar  beauty,  pro- 
duced by  the  union  of  the  Javanese  and  Dutch  races,  —  a  type 
full  of  contrasts  :  a  fair  and  brilliant  complexion  with  black  hair, 
a  dark  skin  with  blue  eyes,  a  nonchalant  gait  allied  with  expres- 
sive gestures.  But  their  riches,  grace,  and  beauty,  all  are  con- 
cealed, and  are  never  shown  to  the  outer  world.  These  are 
pleasures  and  charms  reserved  for  tlie  family  circle.  Social  life 
is  reduced  to  that  of  the  family.  In  this  respect,  more  than  in 
many  others,  the  Dutch  do  not  resemble  ourselves. 


70  HOLLAND. 


LEYDEN. 

THE  KOORNBROG.  — THE  TOWN  HALL. 

"The  city  of  Leydeu  is  the  Versailles  of  Holland,  by  its  air  of  decayed  grandeur, 
its  perfect  sadness,  and  its  imposing  solitude." —  Esquieos. 

AT  the  Dutch  railway-stations  there  are  no  locked  waiting- 
rooms,  unfortunately  so  common  among  ourselves.  We 
rejoiced,  therefore,  as  we  started  on  our  journey  from  the  Hague, 
to  be  able  to  go  in  or  out  of  the  refreshment-room  as  w^e  pleased. 
A  o-rave  Dutchman,  our  fellow-traveller,  explained  to  us,  with 
the  utmost  seriousness,  that  such  liberties  could  not  be  allowed 
to  travellers  in  our  country  without  exposing  the  French  to  great 
danger  of  accident,  on  account  of  our  natural  impetuosity  ! 

It  is  indeed  true  that  the  inconceivable  calmness  and  placidity 
with  which  a  Dutchman  enters  or  quits  a  railway-carriage  is  a 
striking^  contrast  to  our  haste  and  vivacity.  But  this  slowness 
does  not  accelerate  the  journey ;  and  as  the  country  to  be  passed 
through  is  identically  similar  to  that  which  you  have  already 
traversed,  and  as  the  most  frightful  monotony  reigns  all  around, 
in  nature  as  well  as  in  the  works  of  man,  a  journey  through 
these  interminable  meadows,  filled  with  the  same  black  or  white 
cattle,  watered  by  the  same  canals,  interspersed  with  the  same 
windmills,  soon  becomes  very  tedious. 

Here  we  are  at  Leyden  at  last,  with  its  encircling  canals,  its 
green  houses,  its  hv.rg,  and  its  souvenirs  of  the  Anabaptists,  the 
Elzevirs,  and  the  famous  siege  of  1574,  during  which  the  be- 
siegers employed  pigeons  to  convey  news. 

When  we  first  saw  Leyden  we  thought  it  dull  and  solitary ; 


LEYDEN. 


71 


but  afterwards  we  visited  Utreclit,  and  now  Leyden  seems  in 
our  recollections  full  of  life  and  animation.  It  is  indeed  an  in- 
teresting town,  commanded  by  a  ruined  fortress,  which  is  coeval 
with  its  earliest  days.  These  ruins  are  all  that  remain  of  the 
old  burg,  the  foundation  of  which  is  attributed  to  the  Eomans, 
and  which,  on  the  top  of  a  hill  fifty  feet  high,  —  one  must  be  in 
Holland  to  call  such  a  mole-hill  a  hill,  —  commanded  a  very 


Fig.  35.  —  View  of  the  Koornbrog  at  Leyden. 

strong  position  on  the  Ehine ;  a  position  unimj)ortant  at  the 
present  time. 

We  expected  to  find  in  the  "  burg  "  of  Leyden  some  souvenirs 
of  the  castles  on  the  Ehine,  and  some  resemblance  to  them  ;  but 
these  ruins  are  not  very  interesting,  and  are  now  converted  into 
a  cafe  and  refreshment-rooms.  The  keep,  which  is  still  stand- 
ing, has  just  been  repaired,  and  from  its  battlements  you  can  see 
the  city  and  the  environs. 


72 


HOLLAND. 


At  the  foot  of  the  castle  is  the  Koombrog  (a  covered  bridge), 
in  which  we  do  not  find  the  character  and  originality  seen  in 
buildinf^s  of  the  same  kind  in  Switzerland  and  Italy  (Fig.  3o). 


itljatmifZ,A% 


Fig.  36.  —  The  Town  Hall  at  Leyden. 

The  Town  Hall  is  the  most  ancient  building  in  Leyden.  It  is 
a  large  edifice  of  the  sixteenth  century,  and  has  a  high  flight  of 
steps,  which  serve  as  an  extemporaneous  tribune  for  popular 
orators.  The  details  of  the  facade  are  bad ;  the  statues,  pinna- 
cles, balustrades,  and  other  forms  of  decoration  affect  grotesque, 
distorted,  and  exaggerated  shapes  (Fig.  36),  which  show  what 
kind  of  buildings  were  erected  there  at  the  time  of  our  "re- 
naissance." 


LEYDEN.  73 


Beyond  Leyden  the  road  crosses  a  bridge  over  a  yellow  and 
muddy  stream,  —  the  old  Ehine  (the  Oude  Kijn),  as  the  Dutch 
call  it.  Poor  noble  river,  which,  after  having  rushed  over  the 
rocks  of  the  Grisons,  formed  the  cataracts  of  Schaff hausen,  and 
extended  itself  in  all  its  majesty  at  Cologne,  finishes  its  course 
sadly  between  the  two  w^alls  of  the  quay  of  a  canal,  or  disap- 
pears amongst  the  mud-banks  of  Northern  Holland. 


74  HOLLAND. 


HAARLEM. 

THE  GROOTE-KERK.  —  THE  SHAMBLES.  —  HEAD-DRESSES. 

•*  In  the  very  place  where  you  now  see  a  village  ships  of  considerable  burden 
used  to  sail,  scarcely  twenty  years  ago." — Van  Ostade. 

BEFOEE  we  reach  Haarlem  we  pass  by  the  "  polders,"  the 
former  site  of  the  lake  of  Haarlem.  This  inland  sea, 
eleven  leagues  in  circumference,  with  difficulty  jDrotected  from 
the  Xorth  Sea  by  dunes  insufficient  to  resist  stormy  weather, 
was  subject  to  real  tempests,  to  terribly  high  tides,  which  more 
than  once  threatened  Amsterdam  itself  It  was  therefore  neces- 
sary to  restrain  this  dangerous  neighbor,  and  this  was  no  trifling 
matter.  The  first  proposals  of  this  project  were  made  during 
the  sixteenth  century.  After  having  been  long  abandoned,  it 
was  reconsidered  subsequently  to  the  terrible  inundation  of  No- 
vember 9,  1836,  but  not  undertaken  till  1840. 

This  gigantic  enterprise  included,  not  only  the  draining  of  the 
lake,  but  the  execution  of  many  preparatory  works  of  almost  as 
great  importance  as  the  principal  operation. 

It  was  first  necessary  to  throw  up  round  the  lake  or  sea  of 
Haarlem  a  double  dike,  inclosing  a  ring  canal  with  a  towing- 
path,  and  a  weir,  emptying  itself  into  the  North  Sea.  The 
water  pumped  out  was  poured  into  this  canal,  and  thence 
ran  into  the  sea.  Locks  constructed  in  the  canals  prevented 
the  return  of  the  sea  at  high  tides,  and  kept  it  in  stormy 
weather  from  filling  the  channels  and  flowing  back  into  the 
lake. 

Having   ascertained  by   repeated  soundings   that  the  mean 


HAARLEM.  75 


depth  of  the  lake  was  about  thirteen  feet,  they  calculated  that 
the  quantity  of  water  which  it  contained  might  be  estimated 
at  947,000,000  of  cubic  yards.  It  was  necessary  to  add  to  this 
large  amount  the  water  brought  by  rain  or  by  infiltrations  from 
the  soil,  —  about  47,000,000  of  cubic  yards,  —  deduction  having 
been  made  of  the  loss  by  evaporation,  which  is  not  very  consid- 
erable in  a  country  where  the  atmosphere  is  constantly  saturated 
with  vapor. 

Three  steam  pumpiug-engines  were  employed,  and  were  suf- 
ficient for  this  work,  which  only  lasted  three  years  and  three 
months,  in  spite  of  unforeseen  difficulties,  and  complications  in- 
separable from  the  execution  of  such  an  undertaking. 

The  most  important  of  the  machines  used  for  this  purpose 
w^as  the  Leeghwater,  which  is  still  at  work,  and  which,  by  means 
of  eleven  lifting  tubes,  raised  at  once,  at  each  stroke  of  the  pis- 
ton, the  enormous  weight  of  145,200  pounds  of  water. 

The  expense  of  this  enterprise  comprised,  first,  the  actual  ex- 
penditure for  the  drainage  itself,  and  then  that  of  keeping  up 
and  repairing  the  dikes,  canals,  and  draining-engines  still  neces- 
sary in  order  to  insure  the  wholesome  condition  of  the  land. 
The  practical  turn  of  mind  of  the  Dutch  succeeded  in  covering 
the  first  outlay  by  the  sale  of  the  land  reclaimed  from  the  sea, 
and  in  reducing  the  second  so  as  not  to  exceed  the  sum  allotted 
previously  every  year  for  the  construction  and  repair  of  dikes 
intended  to  protect  the  province  from  the  encroachments  of  the 
sea  of  Haarlem. 

The  surface  of  land  devoted  to  agriculture  by  this  operation 
is  about  44,480  acres,  now  in  full  working  order,  and  remarkably 
fertile.  Villages  have  been  built  on  this  reclaimed  land.  In- 
stead of  liquid  plains,  we  see  solid  green  meadows ;  trees,  houses, 
and  churches  now  rise  where  formerly  ships  floated.^ 

But  every  medal  has  its  reverse.  When  the  traveller  passes, 
on  a  hot  day  in  summer,  and  looks  on  what  was  formerly  the 

1  A  similar,  but  much  less  important,  work  is  on  the  point  of  being  executed 
in  France,  at  St.  Louis  du  Rhone. 


HOLLAND 


lake  of  Haarlem,  he  sees  heavy  vapors  rising  from  the  soil, 
marshy  exhalations  issuing  from  this  muddy  land ;  and  if  he 
should  linger,  he  will  soon  feel  the  sad  shivering  fit  which  is  the 
precursor  of  fever.  Nature  seems  to  try  to  make  man  pay  for 
his  victory,  and  to  take  revenge  for  the  struggle  in  which  she 
has  been  conquered. 

This  strife  is  without  any  truce ;  and  in  order  to  understand 
that  such  must  be  the  case,  we  have  only  to  remember  that 
almost  all  the  soil  of  Holland  is  below  the  level  of  the  sea. 
Thus,  taking  the  level  of  Amsterdam  as  a  base,  —  an  assumed  line 
to  which  the  situation  of  otlier  cities  may  be  referred,  —  w^e  find 
that  Eotterdam  is  ten  feet  and  a  half  below  the  level  of  the 
surface  of  the  Meuse  at  high  water,  and  the  environs  of  Leyden 
and  Haarlem  are  more  than  eleven  feet  below  the  level  of  the 
North  Sea.  The  only  aim  of  the  Dutch  must  therefore  be  to 
"  bridle  the  fury  of  the  waves  " ;  and  one  of  the  characteristic 
traits  of  the  persevering  and  industrious  disposition  of  this 
people  is  that  they  have  raised  immense  dikes  to  protect  all 
the  most  threatened  parts,  and  constructed  them  in  wood  and 
in  granite,  in  a  country  which  possesses  neither  quarries  nor 
forests. 

Haarlem  is  especially  distinguished  for  its  love  for  tulips,  and 
for  the  large  organ  in  the  church  dedicated  to  St.  Bavon. 

The  rage  for  tulips  has  somewhat  subsided.  A  bulb  which 
formerly  cost  five  thousand  florins  may  now  be  bought  for  two 
hundred,  which  is  still  a  considerable  price.  But  the  love  of 
flowers  has  not  diminished  at  the  same  time  as  their  value,  and 
the  gardens  in  the  environs  of  Haarlem  are  still  the  most  beau- 
tiful that  can  be  seen.  Gardeners  go  thither  from  nearly  every 
part  of  Europe  to  supply  themselves  with  rare  plants,  and  the 
flower-beds  round  the  city  form  a  brilliant  border  full  of  bright- 
ness and  perfume. 

The  church  of  St.  Bavon,  or  the  Groote-Kerk,  which  contains 
the  or^^an,  the  great  curiosity  of  Haarlem,  is  a  building  especially 
remarkable  for  its  great  dimensions  (Fig.  37).     The  nave  and 


HAARLEM 


77 


the  choir  were  built  in  1472  by  Albert  of  Bavaria,  Duke  of 
Holland.     The  spire  is  not  so  old;  it  was  not  erected  till  1516. 


Fig.  37. 


Ground-plan  of  the  Church  of  St.  Bavon  at  Haarlem. 

(Scale,  .039  inch  to  the  yarrl.) 


When  we  compare  this  church,  one  of  the  most  important  in 
Holland,  with  those  constructed  in  France  at  the  same  period, 


HOLLAND. 


we  see  what  progress  we  had  akeady  made,  and  what  results  w^e 
had  obtained,  while  our  neighbors,  gaining  hints  from  our  works, 
were  only  feeling  their  w^ay  by  copying  us  unskilfully. 

A  special  arrangement  in  the  churches  of  Holland  —  and  on 


Fig.  38.  —  Internal  View  and  Organ-Case,  at  the  Church  of  St.  Bavon  at  Haarlem. 

which  we  must  dwell,  as  it  gives  them  a  character  entirely  dif- 
ferent from  ours  —  is  the  substitution  of  a  timber- vaulted  roof 
for  those  built  of  stone  or  bricks,  without  any  other  modification 
than  that  which  the  suppression  of  flying  buttresses  may  have 


HAARLEM. 


'9 


caused  in  the  lower  parts  of  the  structure ;  while  the  ground-plan, 
the  section  of  the  pillars,  and  the  nature  of  the  materials,  have 
the  same  conditions  of  resistance  as  if  they  had  been  intended 
to  support  heavy  roofs  of  masonry. 

One  might  be  induced  to  suppose  that  the  Dutch  architects 
had  taken  the  idea  of  their  buildings  from  those  of  other  coun- 
tries, or  rather  that  they  had  copied  them  as  far  as  the  spring 
of  the  vault ;  but  that,  having  arrived  at  this  point,  fearing,  on 
account  of  the  nature  of  the  soil,  the  heavy  weight  of  stone  roofs, 
they  had  substituted  for  them  vaulted  roofs  of  wood. 


Fig.  39.  —  Stadthouse  at  Haarlem. 


The  organ  of  the  church  of  St.  Bavon  at  Haarlem  is  enclosed 
in  a  very  rich  case,  of  which  Fig.  38  wdll  give  some  idea.  It 
was  built  about  the  year  1736,  and  it  enjoys  a  celebrity  which 
may  be  justly  rivalled  by  the  perfection  of  our  modern  instru- 
ments. A  simple  remark,  however,  will  show  its  importance. 
The  organ  of  the  Abbey  of  St.  Denis,  built  in  1841,  and  w^hich 
is  well  known  throughout  France,  contains  only  4,500  pipes, 
while  that  of  Haarlem  has  5,000. 


80 


HOLLAND. 


The  copper  chandeliers  at  St.  Bavon  are  Flemish.  They  have 
been  wrought  with  the  greatest  care,  and  the  style  is  very  sim- 
ple ;  but  the  thickness  given  to  the  metal  scrolls  injures  the 
effect  of  the  whole,  and  gives  them  a  heavy  appearance  (Fig.  38). 

Before  the  Groote-Kerk  stands  the  statue  of  Laurence  Coster, 
who  is  said  by  the  inhabitants  of  Haarlem  to  have  anticipated 


Fig.  40.  —  The  Old  Shambles. 

Gutenberg  in  the  discovery  of  printing.  Close  by  is  seen  the 
Stadthouse  or  Town  Hall  (Fig.  39),  built  of  brick,  about  the  year 
1630,  if  one  may  trust  to  the  date  inscribed  above  the  door;  but 
the  style  of  architecture  seems  to  indicate  an  earlier  period. 
This  edifice  has  undergone  modifications  and  additions  which 
have  altered  its  original  form.     The  principal  building,  standing 


HAAELEM. 


81 


behind  the  more  modem  erections,  has  in  front  a  very  elevated 
flight  of  steps.  The  facade,  having  an  open  balcony,  shows  a 
simplicity  rare  in  Holland,  and  contrasts  strongly  with  the 
neighboring  structure,  the  Old  Shambles  (Fig.  40),  a  Spanish 
and  Hindoo  edifice  of  a  most  grotesque  appearance.  The  swollen 
pyramidal  turrets,  the  frieze,  ornamented  with  the  heads  of  ani- 


Fig.  41.  —  The  Amsterdam  Gate  at  Haarlem. 

mals,  the  red  color  of  the  bricks,  and  the  white  tint  of  the  stone 
or  of  the  parts  covered  with  plaster,  produce  altogether  an  effect 
which  is  characteristic,  but  only  moderately  pleasing. 

The  ramparts  which  formerly  defended  the  town  are  now 
nearly  demolished.  One  of  the  gates  is  still  standing.  It  is 
a  solid  structure  of  the  fifteenth  century  (Fig.  41). 

When  we  had  gone  over  the  city,  we  were  invited  to  attend  a 


82  HOLLAND 


very  curious  meeting,  of  which  the  reader  will  be  glad  to  hear 
some  particulars,  for  it  was  called  for  the  purpose  of  deciding  on 
a  competition  for  the  plan  of  a  building,  and  there  never  was  in 
France  among  architects  a  more  hond  fide  competition. 

A  neighboring  town,  wishing  to  erect  an  elegant  fountain  in  a 
public  square,  asked  for  plans  and  tenders  for  the  work.  Several 
architects  and  sculptors  answered  this  appeal.  The  decision 
was  made.  Of  course,  every  one  was  very  discontented  except  tlie 
successful  candidate ;  but  this  was  not  all.  Each  of  tiie  others 
declared  that  the  judges  had  not  adhered  to  the  conditions  of 
the  plan  laid  down,  and  that  he  had  fallen  a  victim  to  the  strict- 
ness with  which  he  had  observed  the  required  conditions,  etc., 
etc.,  —  such  protestations  and  complaints  as  are  always  sure  to 
be  made  in  case  of  a  competition,  whether  it  takes  place  in  Hol- 
land or  in  France,  and  which  we  have  always  known  to  recur  on 
every  occasion.  Tluis  far  tliere  was  nothing  new ;  but  at  this 
point  the  novelty  commences ;  for,  after  the  decision,  the  judges 
are  expected  to  give  a  public  account  to  the  competitors  of  the 
motives  which  decided  them,  and  which  caused  them  to  incline 
to  the  right  hand  or  the  left. 

This  account  was  to  be  given  at  the  meeting  to  which  we 
were  invited. 

It  was  a  very  interesting  occasion.  The  compe|itors  were 
numerous.  Each  one  claimed  the  right  of  putting  two  questions 
to  the  foreman  of  the  jury,  who  replied,  after  having  consulted 
with  his  coUeao^ues.  There  could,  therefore,  be  no  decision  with 
closed  doors,  no  influence  of  party  or  position.  A  therefore  could 
not  give  his  vote  to  the  son  of  B,  on  condition  that  B  should,  on 
the  next  day,  vote  for  A. 

The  questions  proposed  were  of  course  clear,  precise,  expressed 
in  very  good  terms,  and  with  the  calmness  and  good  temper 
which  a  Dutchman  always  displays,  and  which  require  a  cate- 
gorical answer,  free  from  circumlocution  and  subterfuge.  It 
was  not  sufficient  to  say  to  an  unsuccessful  candidate,  "  I  con- 
sider your  plan  a  bad  one  " ;  for  he  demands  immediately  why 


HAARLEM.  83 


and  in  what  respect  this  judgment  has  been  formed,  and  he  has 
the  right  to  expect  an  answer. 

Thus,  having  been  closely  pressed  by  one  of  the  candidates, 
the  president  made  the  following  reply  :  — 

"A  programme  cannot  always  be  literally  carried  out;  we 
must  interpret  the  spirit  of  it.  This  is  a  matter  of  tact  and 
judgment.  Suppose,  for  example,  it  was  proposed  to  study  the 
arrangement  of  a  floor  of  a  building  consisting  of  four  rooms. 
Among  those  who  send  in  plans,  the  first  places  his  apartments 
behind  each  other.  He  fulfils  the  conditions,  but  tlie  arrange- 
ment is  bad.  Another  divides  a  rectangle  into  four  parts.  He 
also  fulfils  the  programme ;  and  yet  his  solution  is  no  better  than 
the  former.  A  third,  however,  makes  his  four  rooms  indepen- 
dent of  each  other,  by  means  of  a  hall.  His  project  is  a  good 
one.  Would  you  accuse  him  of  having  violated  the  conditions 
because  he  has  introduced  another  element,  the  hall,  which  was 
not  specified  ?  For  my  part,  I  should  not  hesitate  to  give  him 
the  preference ;  and  it  is  a  consideration  of  this  nature  which  has 
caused  the  rejection  of  your  plan.  You  have  complied  faithfully, 
but  in  a  servile  manner,  wdth  the  conditions  imposed.  Another 
has  understood  and  interpreted  them  better ;  he  has  been  more 
intelligent  and  skilful,  and  has  justified  the  preference  which 
has  been  given  to  him." 

There  was  no  replying  to  this  argument,  as  it  was  stated  in  so 
simple  and  moderate  a  manner;  and,  indeed,  this  mode  of  dis- 
cussion, by  immediately  adducing  an  apposite  example  in  order 
to  render,  the  demonstration  more  striking,  is  quite  in  keeping 
with  the  upright  and  practical  disposition  of  the  Dutch  people. 

Why  could  not  we  follow  this  example  ?  Is  it  not  in  accord- 
ance with  our  disposition  ?  I  see  no  reason,  at  least,  that  we 
should  not  try  it ;  and  if  it  should  become  a  regular  custom 
among  ourselves  for  architects  to  be  called  upon  to  compete  with 
each  other,  by  supplying  designs  for  public  works,  a  plan  much 
to  be  desired,  it  would  be  necessary,  in  order  to  encourage  this 
innovation,  to  surround  the  decision  with  every  possible  condi- 


84 


HOLLAND. 


tion  of  impartiality;  and,  unquestionably,  the  best  means  of 
effecting  this  is  to  give  each  candidate  an  opportunity,  on  the 
day  following  the  decision,  to  ask  the  judge  the  reasons  for  his 
preference  without  its  being  possible  for  him  to  refuse  to  reply, 
or  to  shelter  himself  behind  the  opinions  of  his  colleagues,  as 

was  the  case  at ,  where  an  unfortunate  competitor  showed, 

one  day,  letters  of  condolence  received  from  his  four  judges,  each 
throwing  upon  the  others  the  responsibility  of  the  decision  at 
which  they  had  arrived. 

On  the  walls  of  the  hall  in  which  we  were  assembled  hung 


Fig.  42.  — Head-dress  of  the  Women  of  Zuid  Hollande, 

some  pictures,  bad  enough  in  themselves,  representing  the  dif- 
ferent types  of  head-dress  of  the  Dutch  women,  —  fashions  which 
liave  already  become  obsolete  in  towns,  but  are  still  preserved 
in  the  villages  in  certain  provinces.  Our  sketches  (Figs.  42,  43, 
and  44)  may  give  an  idea  of  some  of  them. 

The  women  of  the  southern  part  of  Holland  (Fig.  42)  ornament 
the  head  with  bands  of  gold  and  silver,  secured  under  their  caps, 
and  terminating  in  a  kind  of  spiral  horns,  often  adorned  with 
precious  stones  or  rich  enamel 


HAARLEM, 


85 


In  the  North  of  Holland  (Fig.  43)  the  head-dresses  worn  by 
the  women  are  very  rich  and  complicated.    The  hair  is  cut  short, 


Fig.  43.  —  Head-dress  of  the  Women  of  North  Holland. 

and  covered  with  an  under-cap  of  white  satin,  trimmed  with 


Fig.  44.  —  Dutch  Head-dress. 

black  embroidery.     Over  this  cap  is  worn  a  pad,  which  supports 


86  HOLLAND. 


a  broad  circular  band,  having  plates  of  metal  attached  to  it,  and 
adorned  in  front  with  the  usual  antennse.  Servants  wear  these 
ornaments  made  of  silver ;  richer  persons  have  them  in  gold. 

In  addition  to  these,  there  is  fixed  in  the  hair,  at  the  top  of 
the  head,  what  is  called  the  forehead  hair-pin.  The  married 
women  wear  the  larger  end  of  it  on  the  right,  the  unmarried 
girls  on  the  left.  We  may  also  add  that  rich  citizens'  w^ves 
cover  the  whole  with  a  bonnet  trimmed  with  flowers  (Fig.  44) 
brought  from  Paris  or  London,  and  the  effect  is  as  droll  as  can 
be  imagined. 

The  journey  from  Haarlem  to  Amsterdam  is  not  a  long  one. 
We  can  see  at  intervals  the  gulf  of  Y.  The  railroad  passes 
through  a  district  full  of  country-houses  of  the  most  cheerful 
aspect,  but  built  with  little  variety.  We  soon  enter  a  Grecian 
building,  —  the  terminus.  The  courtyard  adjoining  is  filled  with 
omnibuses  gilded  and  painted  in  gaudy  colors.  We  pass  under 
a  gateway,  a  kind  of  triumphal  arch  with  Corinthian  columns, 
and  we  are  in  Amsterdam. 


AMSTERDAM.  87 


AMSTERDAM. 

THE  HOUSES.  —  THE  NIEUWE-KERK.  —  THE  OUDE-KERK.  —  THE  WESTER-KERK.  — 
THE  KATOLIK-KERK.  —  THE  CRYSTAL  PALACE.  — THE  AMSTEL-HOTEL.  —  THE 
MONTALBANS-TOREN. 

"Among  500,000  men  living  in  Amsterdam,  there  is  not  one  who  is  idle  or 
poor,  not  one  fop,  nor  one  who  is  insolent."  — Voltaihe. 

"Amsterdam  is  built  on  herring-bones." — Dutch  Piioverb,  seventeenth 
century. 

I^NUMEEABLE  canals  covered  with  vessels  ;  a  port  dug  in 
mud ;  a  yellow  sea  which  wears  away  its  slimy  shores ;  a 
soil  reclaimed  from  the  water  by  an  incessant  struggle ;  a  calm, 
laborious  population  ;  enormous  ships  going  and  returning  in  the 
midst  of  a  mass  of  uniform,  dismal  houses,  always  closed ;  large, 
low,  stunted  public  buildings,  without  any  decided  outline ;  no 
cries,  no  songs ;  people  who  go  on  their  way  wdthout  any  haste ; 
going  out  and  coming  back  with  unalterable  placidity ;  the  same 
identical  expression  on  every  countenance ;  round  faces,  with 
a  white  and  red  complexion ;  behind  the  windows  immovable 
figures,  looking  as  if  benumbed.  This  was  what  our  first  walk 
through  the  city  revealed  to  us ;  and  yet  we  have  often  heard  it 
compared  to  Venice.  Alas !  where  is  tlie  blue  lagoon  ?  where 
the  gay  songs  of  the  gondoliers,  the  Square  of  St.  Mark,  and  the 
piazza  ?  Where  can  we  find  anything  to  remind  us  of  that  active, 
lively  population,  content  with  the  sunshine  and  their  free  and 
easy  life  ? 

It  is  morning.  The  city  awakes.  Each  inhabitant  goes  to 
business,  leaves  his  dwelling,  carefully  closing  the  door.  The 
children  go  to  school  without  noise,  without  any  hurry  or  dis- 


88 


HOLLAND. 


turbance.  The  servants  and  housewives,  armed  with  large 
brooms  and  gigantic  sponges,  wash,  rub,  and  polish  the  fronts  of 
the  houses,  the  footpaths,  and  the  bricks  which  pave  the  streets. 
The  houses  resemble  those  which  we  have  already  seen ;  and 
the  details  into  which  we  have  entered,  when  speaking  of  those 
of  Rotterdam,  need  but  little  amplification. 


Fig.  45.  —  Houses  in  one  of  the  Streets  of  Amsterdam. 

Holland  produces  scarcely  any  building  materials,  except  mud. 
But  this,  dried  and  burnt,  becomes  brick,  and  thus  forms  the 
constituent  element  of  every  structure. 

These  bricks  are  not  laid,  as  in  some  countries,  with  studied 
care,  and  with  varied  combinations  of  form  and  color.  The 
Dutch  mind  is  opposed  to  such  labor,  such  an  innovation.  The 
bricks  are  simply  piled  upon  each  other ;  the  lintels  of  the  doors 


AMSTERDAM.  89 


and  windows  are  of  iron  or  wood;  the  bricks  follow,  without 
interruption,  their  regular  lines,  only  stopped  at  each  opening 
by  the  wooden  framework  that  surrounds  it ;  and,  at  last,  after 
one  or  more  stories,  they  crown  the  building  with  a  grotesque 
gable,  the  top  of  which  is  often  decorated  with  a  piueaj^ple,  a 
vase,  or  a  vulgar  piece  of  sculpture. 

All  these  houses  follow  each  other  in  interminable  lines. 
They  are  all  alike ;  they  have  no  distinct  characteristics.  They 
differ  from  each  other  in  no  special  and  individual  aspect,  and 
can  only  be  recognized  by  some  variation  in  the  shape  of  the 
gables ;  so  that  we  have  often  wondered  how  the  inhabitants  of 
certain  streets  of  Amsterdam  and  London,  where  the  same  uni- 
formity of  plan  is  adopted,  can  distinguish  tlieir  houses  from 
those  of  their  neighbors. 

In  the  plan  of  these  houses  there  is  no  more  variety  than  in 
their  facades.  On  the  ground-floor  is  a  long  passage  serving  as 
a  vestibule;  at  the  farther  end  are  the  stairs;  at  the  side,  the 
dining-room  and  drawing-room,  separated  by  a  movable  parti- 
tion. On  the  first  floor  are  two  bedrooms,  each  with  a  dressing- 
room.  If  the  house  is  of  sufficient  importance,  there  is  another 
floor  above  arranged  in  the  same  manner ;  and  over  this,  on  the 
upper  story,  the  nursery  and  the  servants'  rooms.  In  the  base- 
ment there  are  the  kitchen  and  several  important  offices,  for 
good  cheer  is  fully  appreciated  in  this  humid  climate.  In  the 
attics  are  store-rooms,  intended  to  contain  all  kinds  of  provisions 
and  articles  for  domestic  use,  since  cellars  are  impossible  in  such 
a  permeable  soil.  At  the  top  of  the  gable  a  pulley  is  attached 
to  a  horizontal  piece  of  wood,  by  means  of  which  a  basket  can 
be  raised  or  lowered  with  packages,  so  as  to  avoid  the  incon- 
venience and  injury  which  might  be  occasioned  by  carrying 
them  up  and  down  the  stairs  within. 

In  some  cases,  however,  the  houses  built  during  the  last  cen- 
tury show  greater  variety  in  their  facades  and  evince  a  certain 
amount  of  taste,  and  are  therefore  not  destitute  of  interest. 

We  give,  in  Figs.  47  and  48,  the  ground-plans,  and  in  Fig.  46 


90  HOLLAND. 


the  elevation,  of  one  of  the  houses  constructed  on  the  Nieuwe- 
Mark.  What  is  especiaUy  worthy  of  observation  in  this  house 
is  not  the  general  plan  adopted  in  the  decoration,  but  certain 
special  arrangements  made  by  the  builder,  which  manifest  a 


Fig.  46.  —  Elevation  of  a  House  in  the  Nieuwe-Mark,  Amsterdam. 

conscientious  endeavor  to  carry  out  the  proposed  plan  in  all  its 
details,  and  to  leave  nothing  unforeseen.     Thus,  we  see  beneath 


AMSTERDAM 


91 


the  cornice  j)laced  at  the  base  of  the  gable  opeuings  about  seven 
inches  square,  intended  to  receive  the  ends  of  poles  by  which 
scaffoldings  may  be  supported,  when  required  for  the  purpose  of 
cleaning  the  frontage,  pointing  the  bricks,  or  otherwise  repairing 
the  front  of  the  house.  These  holes  are  usually  closed  by  a 
small  stone,  by  a  terra-cotta  ornament,  or  simply  by  the  end  of 
the  pole,  the  rest  of  which  is  concealed  in  the  attic. 

In  the  business  streets  the  houses  are  of  a  different  form. 
The  shops  occupy  the  ground-floor ;  the  upper  stories,  of  which 
there  are  never  more  than  two  or  three,  serve  as  store-rooms  or 
lodgings  for  the  tradesmen.  The  outer  door  opens  directly  on 
the  street.     The  arrangement  is  almost  the  same  as  w^ith  us; 


Fig,  47.  —  Plan  of  Ground-floor.  Fig.  48.  —  Plan  of  First-floor. 

(Scale,  .078  inch  to  the  yard.) 


1.  Entry. 

2.  Hall. 

3.  Dining-room. 


4.  Drawing-room. 

5.  Morning-room. 

6.  Bedrooms. 


with  this  difference,  that  the  shops  are  often  separated  from  the 
public  way  by  an  open,  covered  space,  forming  a  recess  in  the 
front  wall,  and  supported  on  pillars  of  the  height  of  the  ground- 
floor.  This  space,  forming  a  kind  of  porch,  facilitates  the  en- 
trance to  the  shop,  and  gives  passers-by  an  opportunity  of  ex- 
amining quietly  the  articles  exposed  for  sale,  without  interfering 
with  the  traffic  or  blocking  up  the  pavement;  but  it  has  this 
inconvenience,  that  it  darkens  the  ground-floor  (Figs.  49  and  50). 
Such  of  these  houses  as  are  nsed  for  taverns,  breweries,  or 
''societies''  (nearly  the  same  as  our  cafes  or  " ccrcles''),  generally 
have  the  floor  sunk  below  the  level  of  the  street,  and  are  divided 


92 


HOLLAND 


into  two  parts,  —  one  for  the  public,  the  other  reserved  for  cer- 


Fig.  49.  —  Elevation  of  a  House  in  the  Calver-Straat,  Amsterdam. 


t 


_l 


di 


Fig.  50.  —  Ground-plan  of  the  Frontage. 

tain  privileged  customers.^     "We  may  see,  through  the  windows, 

1  These  societies,  or  places  of  resort,  often  bear  veiy  pretentious  names,  such  as 
Prudence,  Wisdom,  Friendship,  and  Virtue. 


AMSTERDAM.  93 


the  frequenters  of  the  rooms,  sitting  apart,  immovable  in  their 
places,  each  at  his  little  table,  drinking  and  smoking,  without 
exchanging  a  word,  and  without  seeming  to  have  a  single  idea 
to  express. 

These  rooms,  such  as  they  are,  correspond  exactly  with  the 
needs  of  their  inhabitants,  and  the  requirements  of  their  do- 
mestic and  unsociable  life. 

Land  is  so  scarce  in  Amsterdam  that  fresh  buildings  cannot 
be  constructed,  and  it  is  an  almost  insurmountable  difficulty  for 
a  new-comer  to  establish  himself.  Each  inhabitant  lives  in  his 
own  house,  and  it  is  only  when  he  dies  without  heirs,  that  any 
one  can  hope  to  procure,  not  indeed  the  house  which  he  would 
prefer,  but  that  which  falls  vacant.  It  is  true  that  they  are  all 
so  much  alike,  that  choice  is  of  no  great  importance. 

When  a  house  falls  into  ruins  it  is  rebuilt  in  the  former  man- 
ner, without  modifying  either  the  details  or  the  dimensions. 
This  plan,  though  excellent  for  preserving  the  unchanged  ap- 
pearance of  the  city,  is  not  exactly  conducive  to  the  develop- 
ment of  an  architect's  imagination.  Yet  an  opportunity  pre- 
sented itself,  and' was  quickly  seized  by  one  of  our  brethren,  to 
whom  was  intrusted  the  construction  of  some  houses  to  be 
erected  in  a  spot  recently  reclaimed  from  the  sea.^ 

These  modern  houses  are  of  an  entirely  different  character 
from  those  which  we  have  already  described,  and  show  an  in- 
contestable progress ;  for,  besides  the  talent  wdiich  their  con- 
structor has  manifested,  he  must  have  displayed  considerable 
energy,  and  have  had  great  influence  over  his  fellow-country- 
men, to  induce  them  to  adopt  the  new  ideas  and  plans  which  he 
desired  to  carry  out. 

We  give  two  types  of  these  dwellings.  First,  a  group  of 
houses  erected  in  a  sort  of  enclosure,  and  surrounded  by  a  gar- 
den; and  then  another  kind  of  buildings,  with  narrow  fronts 
more  conformable  to  Dutch  tradition,  with  an  area  before  and  a 
garden  behind. 

1  M.  Cuypers,  architect  at  Amsterdam,  Councillor  of  tlie  Government  for  His- 
torical Public  Buildings. 


94 


HOLLAND. 


The  first  type  (Figs.  51  and  52)  comprises  three  dweUing- 
houses  united,  yet  each  distinct  in  itself.     On  the  groimd-tloor 


l-W-H 

V 

5 

'h 

r  ■ 

4 
1 

UJ 

1 

2       i       i,       b  W-: 
Fig.  51.  —  Plan  of  Ground-floor. 


Fig.  52.  —  Plan  of  First  Floor. 


1.  Principal  entrance. 

2.  Kitchen  entrance. 

3.  Passage. 


4.  Drawing-room. 

5.  Dining-room. 

6.  Bedrooms. 


of  each  of  them  are  two  sitting-rooms,  one  behind  the  other ;  in 
the  basement  are  the  kitchens,  and  on  the  first  floor  the  bed- 


AMSTERDAM. 


95 


rooms ;  in  front  is  a  porch  sheltering  the  doorsteps,  and  forming 
a  balcony  above.     These  balconies  are  open,  —  an  arrangement 


Fig.  53.  —  Geometrical  Elevation. 

(Scale,  .151  inch  to  the  yard.) 


which  a  Dutchman  would  certainly  not  have  permitted  in  a 
street  where  there  are  many  passers-by,  or  on  a  frequented 
canal,  but  which  he  has  tolerated  in  the  midst  of  an  enclosed 


96 


HOLLAND. 


space.  "We  are,  however,  assured  that  a  young  lady  would 
never  come  and  lean  on  the  rails  of  this  balcony. 

Without  further  reference  to  this  prudery,  which  loses  much 
of  its  importance  since  the  house  is  intended  for  foreigners,  we 
must,  however,  admit  that,  in  a  climate  as  damp  as  that  of  Am- 
sterdam, an  enclosed  balcony  is  preferable  to  one  open  to  the 
winds. 

The  details  are  well  carried  out.  The  bricks,  tlie  constituent 
materials,  are  employed  in  various  combinations.     Glazed  tiles. 


c        i       4        6MV 
House  of  Business  at  Amsterdam. 
Fig.  54.  — Basement.  Fig.  55.  —  Ground-floor. 


1.  Kitchen. 

2.  AVash-house. 

3.  Courtyard. 


4.  Shop. 

5.  Back-shop. 


painted  of  different  colors,  placed  in  the  gables,  enliven  the  gen- 
eral aspect  (Fig.  *o3),  and  produce  a  pleasing  effect,  especially 
when  contrasted  with  the  neisfhborincr  buildincrs. 

The  second  example  possesses  less  originality.  It  is  too  nar- 
row, like  the  houses  of  this  country,  with  an  area  in  front,  two 
rooms,  one  behind  the  other,  on  the  ground-floor,  with  a  garden 
behind,  and  then  two  bedrooms  on  the  next  floor  (Figs.  54 
and  55). 

The  facades  (Fig.  56)  show  well-defined  outlines  and  original 
combinations.     The  well-staircase,  constructed  in  the  inner  part 


AMSTEEDAM. 


97 


of  the  house,  is  unusual  in  Amsterdam.  The  plan  is  carefully 
reasoned  out,  and  the  materials  are  well  employed,  considering 
their  nature. 

It  must,  however,  be  remarked  how  conscientiously  the  archi- 


m 

Fig.  56.  —  Geometrical  Elevation. 
(Scale,  about  1/5  inch  to  the  yard. ) 

tect  has  preserved,  in  the  buildings  which  he  has  erected,  every- 
thing which  appeared  to  him  excellent  and  useful  in  those  which 
preceded  him,  at  the  same  time  that  he  used  new  materials  in 


98  HOLLAND 


new  forms.  For  this  reason  he  did  not  hesitate  to  have  large 
gables  in  front,  and  to  utilize  the  valuable  attic  floor  by  means 
of  a  large  opening  and  a  common  pulley.  He  did  not  conceal 
the  holes  intended  to  receive  the  scaffold-poles  for  repairs,  while 
he  contrived  to  make  them  subservient  to  the  decoration  of  the 
facades.  But,  though  a  thoughtful  and  sensible  inventor,  he 
would  not,  through  the  desire  of  novelty,  substitute  Italian  ter- 
races for  pointed  roofs,  and  stucco  or  imitative  stone  for  the 
excellent  bricks  which  he  had  at  his  disposal ;  but  he  remained 
true  to  the  old  traditions  while  he  endeavored  to  bring  them  to 
perfection. 

Indeed,  a  work  progresses,  an  art  is  perfected,  only  by  gradual 
advances,  by  taking  time  to  draw  conclusions  slowly  from  study 
and  thought,  and  by  never  taking  one  step  forward  until  the 
preceding  one  has  been  accepted.  Sudden  transformations, 
hasty  and  rapid  changes  which  take  into  account  neither  re- 
ceived ideas,  nor  the  respect  due  to  the  productions  of  our  pre- 
decessors, excite  party  hatred,  cause  mistrust  and  fear,  and 
usually  end  in  a  revolution,  and  then  in  the  reaction  which  is, 
unfortunately,  almost  always  the  fatal  result. 

But  to  return  to  the  dwelling-houses  of  Holland,  and  to  con- 
clude our  description  of  them ;  it  would  be  interesting  to  study 
the  habitations  constructed  by  the  German,  as  compared  with 
those  of  the  Latin,  races,  in  order  to  ascertain  by  what  means 
each  of  these  races,  so  opposite  in  their  tastes,  and  differing  so 
much  in  their  requirements,  have  been  able,  wherever  they  have 
established  themselves,  to  construct  dwellings  adapted  to  their 
w^ants,  their  manner  of  living,  as  well  as  the  nature  of  the 
climate  and  the  materials  which  they  had  at  their  disposal. 
We  have  hitherto  been  able  to  touch  but  slightly  on  this  sub- 
ject, the  further  development  of  which  would  have  too  long 
detained  us ;  but  we  shall  have  occasion  to  return  to  it,  and  to 
complete  our  remarks  by  means  of  examples  collected  from 
other  countries. 

The  public  buildings  of  Amsterdam  are  not  numerous ;  but 


AMSTERDAM.  99 


they  are  not  without  interest,  more  especially  since  they  allow 
us  to  make  useful  comparisons  with  our  own. 

The  square  called  the  Dam  ^  is  the  centre  of  the  activity,  the 
business,  and  the'  life  of  all  the  city.  The  most  crowded  and 
frequented  streets  terminate  there,  and  the  most  important 
buildings  of  Amsterdam  have  been  erected  round  it,  —  the  Ex- 
change, the  Eoyal  Palace,  and  the  Nieuwe-Kerk. 

We  may  notice,  en  imssant,  the  conscientious  care  with  which 
the  Dutch  guide-books  state  how  many  piles  the  foundations  of 
the  public  buildings  have  required,  and  the  evident  pride  with 
which  they  name  certain  numbers,  as  if  the  interest  inspired  by 
an  edifice  were  in  direct  ratio  to  the  quantity  of  piles  driven  in 
to  support  its  walls. 

The  Exchange  (whose  foundations  required  34,000  piles !)  is  a 
kind  of  Grecian  temple,  massive,  square,  and  heavy,  of  sad  and 
sombre  aspect,  the  construction  of  which  dates  from  the  year 
1845. 

The  Eoyal  Palace,  erected  in  the  seventeenth  century  to  serve 
as  a  town-hall,  is  sustained  by  only  14,000  piles  !  This  building 
is  regarded  as  the  finest  in  Holland.  It  is  well  situated,  and 
produces  a  good  effect.  Its  architect,  whose  name  is  known,  — 
Jacob  van  Campen,  —  was  imbued  with  Italian  ideas ;  but  he 
was  still  a  Dutchman.  His  methodical,  regular  disposition  exer- 
cised an  influence  over  the  result  of  his  studies  of  the  buildings 
of  another  country,  constructed  during  another  age.  The  gen- 
eral plan  adopted  is  cold  and  monotonous.  The  symmetry  of 
this  immense  facade  of  110  yards  in  length  is  fatiguing  both  to 
the  sight  and  the  mind.  There  is  nothing  to  attract  or  arrest 
the  eye,  as  it  follows  the  long  lines  of  architecture  scarcely 
broken  by  the  insufficient  projections  of  the  extreme  wings  and 
of  the  main  central  building.  Fortunately,  however,  the  profile 
of  the  campanile  slightly  relieves  the  regularity  of  the  lines  of 
the  roof 

^The  word  Bam  means  dike.  Amstel-dam  —  M'hence  comes  Amsterdam  — 
signifies  the  dike  of  the  Amstel,  on  which  the  city  is  built. 


100 


HOLLAND 


The  basement  is  so  low  that  it  is  scarcely  noticed.  Two  high 
stories,  each  having  a  large  and  small  window  of  the  same  char- 
acter, the  one  placed  above  the  other,  alone  attract  the  attention, 
but  are  nnpleasing  on  account  of  the  repetition  of  the  same  pro- 
portions, the  same  orders,  and  the  same  details.  There  is  a  still 
greater  fault.     There  is  no  projection  in  the  main  front  of  the 


Fig.  57.  —  External  View  of  the  Royal  Palace  at  Amsterdam. 


building  to  distinguish  the  entrance.  One  cannot  understand 
how  those  seven  low,  half-hidden  doors  can  give  access  to  such 
an  immense  palace  (Fig.  57).-^ 

The  interior  contains  many  fine  rooms,  most  of  them  very 
highly  decorated,  and  some  filled  with  valuable  works  of  art. 

1  The  advocates  of  symbolic  architecture  imagine  that  there  is  an  allusion  in 
these  seven  doors  to  the  seven  united  provinces. 


AMSTERDAM  101 


They  are  well  adapted  for  receptions  and  public  ceremonies. 
The  great  staircase  reminds  us  of  the  grandeur  and  the  propor- 
tions of  those  of  the  Genoese  palaces.  That  which  is  most 
strikino-  in  these  saloons  is  the  furniture.  A  Frenchman  recog:- 
nizes  there,  even  in  the  most  minute  details,  that  of  the  period 
of  the  Empire.  In  fact,  when  in  former  times  France  gave 
kings  to  Europe,  she  one  day  placed  Louis  Napoleon  on  tlic 
throne  of  Holland,  and,  by  way  of  doing  things  thoroughly,  she 
sent  all  his  furniture  with  him.  This  has  remained  intact.  The 
chairs  have  crossed  legs,  the  bedsteads  are  ornamented  with 
sphinx-heads,  the  carpets  and  hangings  represent  the  exploits 
of  Homer's  heroes  ;  the  coverings  of  the  chairs  and  sofas  came 
from  Lyons  and  Beauvais,  the  porcelain  from  Sevres. 

In  spite  of  its  dimensions  and  its  splendor,  this  palace,  with- 
out gardens  and  with  no  courtyards  except  those  connected 
with  the  domestic  offices,  cannot  be  a  pleasant  dwelling-place ; 
and  we  can  easily  understand  that  the  King  of  Holland  prefers 
to  live  in  the  royal  palace,  or  the  "  House  in  the  Wood,"  at  the 
Hague. 

Holland  can  scarcely  be  said  to  have  existed  at  the  time 
when  the  public  buildings  of  the  Roman  epoch  were  con- 
structed in  France.  Tlius  edifices  erected  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  Middle  Ages  are  rare,  and  those  that  we  meet  with 
scarcely  date  so  far  back  as  the  fourteenth  or  fifteenth  century. 
Their  types  were  all  found  in  Ehenish  arcliitecture,  or  in  that 
of  the  Ile-de-France  ;  but  the  application  which  has  been  made 
of  these  forms  and  these  recollections  admits  of  much  discus- 
sion. The  feeling  of  due  proportion  and  delicacy  of  taste  are 
wanting,  and  they  have  not  always  made  a  haj)py  choice  of 
models.  Sometimes,  and  even  more  generally,  the  model  has 
been  imperfectly  imitated,  or  subjected  to  a  kind  of  adaptation, 
so  that  the  original  idea  is  no  longer  to  be  found,  scarcely  even 
to  be  remotely  recognized ;  and  it  requires  excessive  complai- 
sance, even  in  a  Dutch  archaeologist,  to  admit  that  a  certain 
church  resembles  Notre  Dame  de  Paris  or  the  Cathedral  of 
Amiens. 


102 


HOLLAND, 


Nevertheless,  such  as  they  are,  and  precisely  on  account  of 
what  they  are,  and  of  the  difterences  which  distinguish  them 
from  ours,  the  ecclesiastical  buildings  of  Holland  cannot  be 
passed  over  without  notice  by  an  architect. 


I  i  ii 


Fig.  58.  —  Ground-plan  of  the  Oude-Kerk  at  Amsterdam. 
(Scale,  .039  inch  to  tlie  yard.) 

^AHien  speaking  of  St.  Laurence  at  Eotterdam  and  St.  Bavon 
at  Haarlem,  we  have  already  described  the  timber  roofs  which 
cover  most  of  the  churches  of  the  Netherlands.  Their  architects 
have  thns  been  able  to  utilize  materials  formerly  very  abundant 


AMSTERDAM, 


103 


in  their  country,  and  at  the  same  time  to  avoid  placing  too 
heavy  a  weight  on  the  very  compressible  soil  on  which  they 
erected  their  structures. 

We  saw  at  Eotterdam  a  remarkable  example  of  these  wooden 


Fig.  59. —View  of  the  Interior  of  the  Oude-Kerk. 


roofs;  that  which  we  examined  at  the  Oude-Kerk  of  Amsterdam 
is  still  more  interesting. 

This  church  was  founded  in  the  fourteenth  century,  but  the 
greater   part   of  the   structure    dates   from   the   fifteenth.     Its 


104 


HOLLAND 


ground-^jlan  (Fig.  58J  is  composed  of  a  nave  and  a  choir,  both 
surrounded  by  a  very  wide  side  aisle  on  which  open  chapels, 
originally  belonging  to  certain  families,  who  occupied  them  dur- 
ino-  rehoious  ceremonies.  At  the  time  of  its  transformation  into 
a  Protestant  church  there  were  very  rich  ornaments,  valuable 
works  of  art,  and  as  many  as  thirty-three  gorgeous  altars.     All 


Fig.  60.  —  Ground-plan  of  the  Nieuwe-Kerk  at  Amsterdam. 
(Scale,  .039  inch  to  the  3'ard.) 

these  treasures   have  since  disappeared.     The  walls  are   bare, 
poor,  and  somite  in  appearance. 

Ficr.  59  shows  the  general  arranirement  of  the  timber  roof 
covering  the  principal  nave.  This  vault  is  composed  of  cross- 
sprin^i^^ers  as  well  as  wall  ribs  and  diagonal  ribs,  which  have  the 
disadvantage  of  presenting  outlines  similar  to  those  which  would 


AMSTERDAM. 


105 


Fig.  61.  —  Section  of  Aisle. 
(Scale,  about  ^  g  i"ch  to  the  yard.) 


106 


HOLLAND. 


have  been  given  to  them  if  they  had  been  constructed  of  stone. 
These  arches  are  connected  by  cross-beams  which  render  them 
rigid,  and  on  which  rest  the  phmks  forming  the  vault;  the 
diagonal  and  wall  ribs  rest  on  a  small  corbel,  while  the  trans- 
verse ribs  spring  from  a  slender  column,  the  base  of  which  rests 
on  a  tie-beam  placed  above  the  arches  of  the  side  aisles.  These 
tie-beams,  which  break  the  distance  between  the  ground  and  the 
spring  of  the  vault,  were,  no  doubt,  intended  to  maintain  the 
side  walls  in  a  perpendicular  j)osition,  and  also  served  as  inter- 


Fig.  62.  —  Ground-plan  of  the  Wester-Kerk  at  Amsterdam. 

(Scale,  .039  inch  to  the  j-ard.) 

nal  supports  and  buttresses,  rendered  necessary  by  the  nature  of 
the  soil  The  shaft  of  the  columns  is  surmounted  merely  by  a 
heading  without  sculptured  capitals,  the  mouldings  are  meagre, 
the  proportion  of  the  arches  is  disagreeable.  The  arcades,  which 
are  above  the  arches  of  the  side  aisles,  are  of  inlaid  work,  —  a 
kind  of  decoration  which  has  a  very  bad  effect. 

Another  church  at  Amsterdam,  equally  worthy  of  notice,  is 
the  Nieuwe-Kerk  (the  new  church),  a  name  to  which  it  has 
about  as  great  a  title  as  our  Pont  Xeuf,  for  it  dates  from  the 


AMSTERDAM. 


107 


beginning  of  the  fifteenth  century.     Its  ground-plan  is  superior 
in  grandeur  and  proportion  to  that  of  the  Oude-Kerk ;  it  is  also 


Fig.  63.— View  of  the  Wester-Kerk  at  Amsterdam. 

more  compact  and  correct,   if  we  may  use  the  expression;    a 
rather  narrow  aisle  surrounds  the  nave.     Several  chapels  erected 


108 


HOLLAND. 


on  the  right  side  of  the  transej)t  must,  by  their  arrangements, 
have  greatly  contributed  to  the  splendor  of  Koman  Catholic 
ceremonies.  The  choir  is  surrounded  by  aisles  and  radiating 
chapels,  that  of  the  east  end  rising  above  the  others.  The 
Xieuwe-Kerk  was  twice  injured  by  tire.     The  present  vaulted 


Fig.  64. 


•  Ground-plan  of  the  Church  of  the  Sacred  Heart  at  Amsterdam. 

(Scale,  .078  inch  to  the  yard.) 


roof  cannot  be  earlier  than  the  seventeenth  century ;  it  is  con- 
structed in  the  same  manner  as  those  which  we  have  already 
described,  but  the  plan  is  not  so  good,  and  it  is  not  so  well  exe- 
cuted or  so  original  as  that  of  the  Oude-Kerk. 

The  section  (Fig.  61)  gives  a  general  idea  of  the  interior  of  the 


Fig.  65. 


AMSTEEDAM. 


Ill 


building;  its  proportions  are  not  pleasing,  the  points  of  support 
are  meagre,  the  outlines  and  the  muUions  of  the  windows  are 
slender  and  bare.  We  find  at  the  entrance  of  the  choir  another 
bronze  screen  of  elaborate  workmanship,  but  somewhat  heavy 
and  clumsy.  The  two  sides  of  the  transept  are  connected  by  a 
gallery.  On  the  walls  of  the  church  and  on  the  pavement  there 
are  a  great  number  of  gravestones  and  funeral  monuments,  one  of 
the  most  noted  of  which  is  that  of  Admiral  Euyter,  with  the  cele- 
brated but  not  very  modest  inscription,  Inunensi  tixmor  Oceani. 
Amsterdam  also  possesses  many  types  of  churches  of  that 


Fig.  66.  — Transverse  Section. 

(Scale,  .078  inch  to  the  yard.) 


style  which  we  have  denominated  Jesuit  architecture.  One  of 
the  most  complete  of  these  is  the  Wester-Kerk  (the  west 
church).  The  ground-plan,  which  we  give  in  Fig.  62,  and  the 
elevation  (Fig.  63),  will  enable  the  reader  to  form  an  opinion  of 
the  Dutch  churches  of  that  period.  AYe  will  only  add  that  this 
building  was  constructed  in  1610,  and  that  from  its  steeple, 
which  is  328  feet  in  height,  there  is  a  beautiful  view  all  around, 
of  the  town,  the  Gulf  of  Y,  and  the  Zuyder-zee.     The  Eoman 


112  HOLLAND. 


Catholics  of  Holland,  wishing  to  supply  the  place  of  the 
churches  of  which  they  were  dispossessed  during  the  sixteenth 
century,  are  now  erecting  a  new  one,  dedicated  to  the  Sacred 
Heart.  The  work  is  not  yet  completely  finished,  but  we  can 
already  perceive  what  it  will  be. 

The  ground-plan  (Fig.  64)  shows  much  originality ;  the  nave 
is  wide  and  short,  with  chapels  forming  the  side  aisles,  and 
it  terminates  in  an  immense  transept  capable  of  containing 
more  than  fifteen  hundred  persons,  all  of  whom  can,  without 
difficulty,  witness,  from  their  seats,  the  ceremonies  which  are 
celebrated  at  one  of  the  three  principal  altars,  or  at  one  of  the 
four  secondary  ones.  Four  entrances  of  equal  size  allow  the 
congregation  to  assemble  rapidly,  and  to  disperse  without  incon- 
venience; the  unusual  forms  of  the  ground-plan  are  well  ad- 
justed to  each  other ;  and,  besides  this,  they  all  have  a  reason, 
and  indicate  study  though  but  little  research.^  The  facades 
have  an  irregular  outline ;  that  of  the  apse  (Fig.  65)  gives  an 
idea  of  the  general  appearance  of  the  building,  and  of  the  effect 
produced.  This  edifice,  wliich  would  be  remarkable  in  any 
country  in  which  it  had  been  built,  is  still  more  so  in  one  where 
monotony  is  so  much  in  favor,  and  where  the  same  forms  are 
incessantly  repeated  and  reproduced.  It  is  therefore  no  slight 
cause  for  astonishment  to  see,  in  the  midst  of  the  neighboring 
structures,  w^hat  variety  Monsieur  Cuypers  —  an  artist  who  has 
seen  so  much,  and  so  well  understood  what  he  has  seen  —  has 
introduced  into  his  work.  The  outlines  of  the  upper  part  are  in 
good  proportion ;  the  difference  in  the  height  of  the  gable-walls 
corresponds  with  their  lower  dimensions ;  the  spire  stands  well 
upon  its  base,  and  tapers  gradually  to  its  extremity. 

The  vaulted  roofs  being  built  of  hollow  bricks,  are  conse- 
quently very  light,  and  are  directly  supported  by  buttresses  or 
arches  placed  under  the  lower  roofs.  Fig.  66  shows  the  height 
of  the  columns  bearing  the  arches  of  the  side  aisles,  and  that  of 
the  vaults,  as  well  as  the  general  system  of  the  construction.     A 


1  The  architect  is  M.  Cuypers. 


AMSTERDAM 


113 


lantern,  which  occupies  the  centre  of  the  steeple,  enlarges  and 
lengthens  the  cupola  of  the  transept. 

We  give  in  Fig.  67  the  details  of  the  spire  from  its  hase.  It 
is,  from  the  very  bottom,  built  on  an  octagonal  plan.  Four  of 
the  trusses  which  support  its  triangular  sides  rest  on  the  ridges 


Fig.  67.  —  Details  of  the  Timbers  of  the  Spire. 

(Scale,  .157  inch  to  the  yard.) 

of  the  gables  of  the  transept;  the  four  others  in  the  gutters 
which  separate  these  gables ;  lower  trusses,  resting  directly  on 
the  piers  and  formed  of  braces  bound  together  by  diagonal  ties, 
sustain  the  principal  trusses,  the  higher  ones  forming  a  fresh 


114  HOLLAND. 


octagonal  plane  reduced  to  the  dimensions  of  the  base  of  the 
pyramidal  sjDire.  The  angles  where  the  faces  of  this  spire  meet 
are  constructed  of  double  beams,  and  are  therefore  completely 
rigid ;  long  struts,  which  take  their  bearing  on  the  central  tim- 
bers, the  main  support  of  the  principal  structure,  keep  these 
beams  in  a  vertical  position ;  secondary  braces  also  connect  the 
higher  part  of  these  faces  with  the  same  central  timbers;  be- 
sides those  braces  which  secure  the  connection  of  the  trusses 
with  each  other,  other  ties,  connected  in  the  form  of  a  St.  An- 
drew's cross  with  the  rigid  uprights,  serve  to  bind  together  the 
several  sides  of  the  spire.  The  eight  angles  of  the  spire,  there- 
fore, take  their  bearing  on  fixed  points,  free  and  independent, 
but  yet  firmly  connected  with  each  other,  so  that  every  torsion 
movement  (the  ordinary  cause  of  the  fall  of  spires  built  of 
timber)  that  might  be  exerted  on  one  of  the  sides  would  be 
equally  divided  among  the  rest,  which  would  thus  be  able  to 
resist  it. 

Tenons  and  mortises  are  not  used,  but  are  replaced  by  braces 
and  ties.  The  wood-work,  far  from  being  weakened  on  this 
account,  preserves,  on  the  contrary,  a  considerable  resisting 
power.  Iron  is  used  only  for  bolts,  and  not  for  cross-bars  or  tie- 
rods,  etc.,  which  deprive  the  structure  of  the  necessary  elasticity. 
The  scantling  of  the  timbers  diminishes  in  proportion  to  the 
height  at  which  they  are  placed ;  the  weight  of  the  upper  part 
is  thus  lessened,  and  it  is  better  supported  by  the  stronger  por- 
tions below. 

As  to  the  external  appearance,  and  to  the  profile  of  the  roof, 
the  architect  knew  that  objects  which  are  sharply  defined 
against  the  sky  may  be  easily  made  to  lose  or  gain  in  relative 
importance.  He  has  made  use  of  this  acquired  experience,  and 
all  his  attention  has  been  given  to  the  outline  of  the  massive 
parts,  so  as  to  lead  the  eye  upwards  from  the  base  to  the  sum- 
mit of  the  spire,  without  allowing  it  to  rest  on  any  disproportion 
which  might  injure  the  general  effect. 

The  large  town-chimes  are  placed  in  the  ^lutz-Toren ;  at  mid- 


AMSTERDAM.  115 


night,  when  the  clock  has  struck  twelve,  a  brilliant  peal  sud- 
denly breaks  forth;  at  first  there  is  heard  the  loud  whir  of 
revolving  wheels,  and  then  come  the  modulated  notes,  the  deep 
sounds  of  the  bass  united  with  the  shriller  tones  of  the  lighter 
bells,  and  all  the  notes  in  full  harmony  melt  into  a  cascade  of 
shrill,  deep,  and  mellow  sounds.  The  profound  silence  of  the 
sleeping  city  is  for  a  moment  disturbed  ;  each  bell  plays  its  part, 
unites  its  melody  wdth  that  of  its  neighbor,  and  disappears  in 
the  concord.  It  is  a  brilliant  harmony  of  sharp,  clear,  metallic 
sounds,  which  spread  far  and  wide,  recalling  an  old  national  air, 
calling  up  happy  and  joyous  recollections,  at  which  the  half- 
awakened  sleeper  smiles;  and  then  the  concert  ceases  as  sud- 
denly as  it  began,  while  the  last  vibrations  only  linger  for  a 
moment  in  the  air. 

The  Crystal  Palace  is  built  of  iron  and  glass.  It  is  intended 
for  the  same  purpose  as  our  "  Palace  of  Industry,"  but  without 
having  so  heavy  an  appearance.  The  materials  employed,  the 
mode  of  construction,  the  simplicity  of  its  plan,  or  rather  the 
absence  of  decorations,  give  it  the  appearance  of  an  immense 
hall. 

The  ground-plan  (Fig.  68)  consists  of  a  nave  and  double 
aisles,  and  of  a  transept  surmounted,  at  the  point  of  intersection, 
w4th  an  oblong  cupola.  The  means  of  access  are  numerous  and 
convenient;  principal  entrances  placed  at  the  extremities,  and 
supplementary  doors  opening  at  the  sides,  allow  the  crowd  to 
pass  rapidly.  And  then  there  is  an  excellent  arrangement,  too 
seldom  employed  in  our  public  buildings,  that  carriages  enter 
under  a  covered  and  enclosed  approach,  while  visitors  on  foot  go 
in  through  a  special  and  separate  entrance,  without  being  ex^ 
posed  to  inconvenience  from  the  horses,  or  interfered  with  by 
the  great  number  of  equipages.  The  stairs  which  lead  to  the 
upper  galleries  are  not  of  sufficient  importance,  and  the  deal  em- 
ployed in  their  construction  gives  the  idea  that  the  present 
stairs  are  only  provisional. 

The  facades  of  this  palace  are  more  varied  in  outline  than  the 


116 


HOLLAND. 


usual  Dutch  public  buildings,  and  tlieir  profile  breaks  somewhat 
the  surrounding  uniformity  (Fig.  69). 

The  section  (Fig.  70)  shows  the  plan  of  the  construction ;  the 


0     « 

I 

I 


large  semicircular  arches  of  the  nave  spring  from  a  series  of 
cast-iron  columns  connected  in  pairs ;  these  are  bound  together 
by  arches,  on  which  are  placed  small  secondary  supports. 


AMSTERDAM. 


117 


The  roof  is  of  glass,  the  walls  are  of  brick,  but  of  no  consid- 


i 


erable  thickness,  which  causes  the  air  in  the  interior  of  the  build- 
ing to  be  very  much  affected  by  variations  of  temperature. 


118 


HOLLAND. 


There  is  another  circumstance  connected  with  this  which  we 
might  advantageously  imitate ;  the  erection  of  this  vast  edifice 
is  due  to  private  enterprise.  The  idea  of  tlie  building  originated 
with  an  individual  unconnected  with  the  government,  Dr.  Sar- 
phati,  and  the  engineer  and  architect,  M.  Outshoorn. 

The  Amstel  Hotel,  also  constructed  by  Outshoorn,  is  a  private 


Fig.  70.  —  View  of  the  Interior. 


undertaking,  not  less  worthy  of  notice  than  the  Crystal  Palace  ; 
and  since  so  many  large  hotels  for  travellers  are  being  built  at 
the  present  day,  it  may  be  useful  to  enter  into  some  details 
respecting  that  at  Amsterdam. 

It  differs  from  the  large  hotels  at  Paris,  Marseilles,  Nice, 
Vienna,  Geneva,  and  elsewhere,  in  this  respect.  Instead  of  hav- 
ing a  central  courtyard,  serving  as  a  vestibule,  into  which  car- 


AMSTERDAM 


119 


riages  enter,  and  around  which  are  the  travellers'  apartments 
and  the  servants'  offices,  it  has  a  covered  and  enclosed  porch  for 
the  entrance  of  carriages  and  the  reception  of  luggage ;  and  be- 
yond this  a  large  hall,  on  which  the  various  rooms  open,  and 
where  the  stairs  are  placed ;   while  the  travellers'  apartments, 


Fig.  71. — Amstel  Hotel.    Ground-floor. 


'*h  ll'TJ'-"-"-"-™! 

I  m  ^  mi  tL  1^^  1^    ^  . 


Fig.  72.  — First  Floor. 
(Scale,  .039  incli  to  the  yard.) 


1. 

Porter's  lodge. 

10. 

Store-room. 

2. 

Lift. 

11. 

Reading-room. 

3. 

Office. 

12. 

Coffee-room. 

4. 

Servants'  rooms. 

13. 

Directors'  room 

5. 

Large  vestibule. 

U. 

Bedrooms. 

6. 

Hall. 

15. 

Drawing-rooms. 

7. 

Dining-room,  tabic  d'hote. 

16. 

Bath-rooms. 

8. 

Breakfast-room. 

17. 

Water-closets. 

9. 

Refreshment-rooms. 

out  of  the  way  of  all  noise  and  disturbance,  are  arranged  to  the 
right  and  left,  with  wide  and  convenient  modes  of  access,  con- 
nected with  halls  and  galleries  which  give  air  and  light  to  every 
part. 


120 


HOLLAND. 


The  plau  of  the  ground-floor  (Fig.  71)  and  that  of  the  first 

i?mmmm\ 


'•liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii, 

floor  (Fig.  72)  show  the  general  arrangement.     The  hotel  con- 


AMSTERDAM.  121 


tains,  in  all,  one  hundred  and  twenty-four  bedrooms,  ten  of  which 
have  a  sitting-room  attached ;  a  lift  renders  it  unnecessary  to 
carry  luggage  and  packages  up  the  stairs ;  and  all  the  bedrooms 
are  supplied  with  water  and  gas,  and  are  warmed  by  heating 
apparatus,  and  provided  with  means  of  ventilation. 

Air  is  collected  and  compressed  in  a  reservoir  constructed  in 
the  underground-floor ;  pipes,  such  as  are  used  for  gas,  distribute 
it  to  the  various  apartments ;  it  can  be  made  to  flow  in  by  the 
simj)le  pressure  of  a  button.  The  air,  as  it  leaves  the  reservoir, 
passes  through  a  jet  of  finely  divided  vapor,  which  gives  to  it, 
when  necessary,  the  required  hygrometrical  condition.^ 

The  fac^ades  of  the  hotel  possess  little  originality,  and  resemble 
most  of  our  modern  buildings  (Fig.  73). 

The  construction  of  the  Amstel  Hotel  comprised  three  distinct 
operations :  the  first  consisted  in  the  embankment  of  the  land 
reclaimed  from  the  Amstel ;  the  second,  the  establishment  of 
the  foundations  on  piles,  a  work  commenced  in  1864  and  fin- 
ished in  June,  1865 ;  the  third,  in  the  buildings  above  ground, 
which,  undertaken  in  February,  1866,  were  completely  finished 
in  July,  1867 ;  the  hotel  was  ready  for  occupation  on  the  15th 
of  that  month. 

These  works  cost  600,000  florins  (50,400  /.),  about  25  /.  for  each 
square  yard  covered,  not  including  the  substructures. 

These  details  are  interesting;  they  show  the  process  of  the 
construction  of  great  jjublic  works  in  Holland,  and  the  different 
phases  through  which  they  pass;  and  by  comparing  dates  we 
find  that,  after  a  necessary  delay,  in  order  that  the  works  should 
be  thoroughly  studied  and  arranged,  sufficient  activity  was  dis- 
played to  bring  it  to  a  rapid  completion. 

The  bridges  that  we  constantly  met  with  in  order  to  cross  the 
innumerable  canals  by  which  the  city  is  intersected  have  a  gang- 
w^ay  movable  in  the  whole  or  in  part,  so  as  to  allow  vessels  to 
pass ;  the  contrivance  which  raises  or  lowers  this  drawbridge  is 
continually  in  action,  and  works  with  extreme  facility,  in  conse- 

1  A  similar  arrangement  is  found  in  several  public  establishments  in  France. 


122 


HOLLAND. 


quence  of  the  arrangement  adopted  (Fig.  74).  On  the  axis  of 
the  central  piles  rise  two  vertical  supports,  on  the  top  of  which 
are  placed  two  horizontal  beams,  corresponding  in  weight  and 
dimensions  Avitli  the  lower  transverse  portions  of  the  gangway. 
These  two  parts,  thus  disposed,  keep  themselves  mutually  in  a 
state  of  rest ;  but  if  an  accidental  cause,  a  difference  of  weight, 
however  slight  it  may  be,  breaks  the  equilibrium,  it  begins  to 
swing,  the  lower  branches  raise  without  effort  the  gangway  of 


Fig.  74.  —  A  Movable  Bridge  at  Amsterdam. 


the  bridge,  and  allow  it  to  fall  again  gently  as  soon  as  the  addi- 
tional weight  is  removed. 

The  markets  of  Amsterdam  are  not,  in  all  respects,  so  well 
arranged  as  ours.  The  new  market  is  dark  and  badly  ventilated ; 
its  ground-plan,  a  square  each  of  whose  sides  measures  nearly  a 
hundred  feet,  required  a  covering  of  a  special  kind.  The  roof  is 
divided  into  two  sloping  portions,  —  the  external  skirt  from 
which  the  water  passes  into  the  gutters  and  the  eaves,  and 
thence  into  the  public  street ;  and  that  which  inclines  inwardly. 


AMSTEEDAM. 


123 


concentric  with  the  former,  and  having  the  form  of  a  funnel, 
from  which  the  water  descends  into  a  large  opening  in  the  cen- 
tral pier,  which  is  placed  in  the  middle  of  the  building  to  support 
the  beams  of  the  timber- work.  This  combination  has  the  two- 
fold advantage  of  lessening  the  height,  which  would  have  been 
necessary  for  the  roof  of  a  building  one  hundred  feet  square,  and 
of  avoiding  the  intermediate  gutters  between  two  sloping  skirts, 
which  are  an  incessant  cause  of  leakage,  and  consequent  repairs. 


Fig.  75.  —  Ofllces  of  Inspector  of  Weights  and  Measures,  Amsterdam. 


On  the  fish-market  square,  Viscli-mar'kt,  we  noticed  a  massive 
building  of  extraordinary  appearance,  with  many  projections. 
It  is  not  now  applied  to  any  especial  purpose,  but  was  con- 
structed in  the  fourteenth  century  to  contain  the  standard 
weights  and  measures,  from  which  it  still  derives  its  name  (Fig. 
75), 

In  the  centre  of  another  square,  the  Botcr-markf,  stands  the 


124  HOLLAND. 


statue  of  Eembraudt.  The  sculptor,  a  Belgian,  has  represented 
him  in  a  standing  position ;  he  has  given  him  a  haughty,  proud, 
and  stern  look.  This  statue,  however,  is  not  without  merit, 
though  it  does  not  well  correspond  to  the  idea  that  one  forras 
of  Eembrandt,  a  good  citizen  of  Amsterdam,  a  rich  and  eager 
collector  of  objects  of  vertu. 

The  inscription  on  the  pedestal  is  full  of  grandeur  in  its  con- 
ciseness, consisting  only  of  two  words  :  "  To  Eembrandt." 

The  ancient  fortifications  of  the  citv  are  no  longer  in  exist- 
ence.  We  still  find,  however,  three  of  the  towers  which  flanked 
the  ramparts;  the  Montalbans-Toren  is  one  of  these,  and  formed 
part  of  the  system  of  defence  constructed  at  the  close  of  the 
fifteenth  century.  At  present  it  is  devoted  to  no  particular  pur- 
pose (Fig.  76). 

Amsterdam  is  defended  from  the  sea  by  dikes,  two  immense 
arms  which  extend  to  the  right  and  left ;  the  dike  on  the  right 
encloses  the  docks  and  the  basin  for  the  large  ships  which  make 
the  voyage  to  Oceania.  There  were  serious  difficulties  in  con- 
structing these  docks,  the  walls  of  which  are  of  considerable 
height,  since  they  were  intended  to  receive  ships  in  order  to  take 
in  or  unload  their  cargoes.  In  fact,  to  raise  isolated  walls  to  the 
height  of  from  50  to  65  feet,  unsupported  by  any  timbers,  with 
the  foundations  laid  in  a  yielding  and  compressible  soil,  was  no 
easy  undertaking.  The  system  employed  consisted  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  very  firm  supports,  consolidated  by  innumerable 
piles,  to  sustain  the  weight  of  the  superstructure;  then  these 
foundations  were  connected  together  by  arches,  and  the  interval 
which  separated  them  was  filled  in  with  comparatively  light 
masonry,  not  throwing  any  great  weight  upon  the  foundations, 
and  independent  of  the  principal  structure,  of  which  it  forms  no 
part,  and  from  which  it  might  be  detached,  even  without  modi- 
fying the  general  system  or  even  weakening  it. 

On  this  accoimt,  if  any  subsidence  were  to  take  place  in  the 
parts  thus  filled,  the  solidity  of  the  foundations  of  the  arches 
would  not  be  compromised;  and  if,  on  the  contrarv,  one  of  these 


AMSTERDAM 


125 


were  to  give  way,  it  would  be  an  isolated  accident,  the  con- 
sequences of  which  would  probably  be  but  local  and  circum- 
scribed. In  addition  to  this,  it  was  a  great  advantage  to  prac- 
tical and  economical  people  that  this  circumstance  enabled  them 
to  secure  the  necessary  stability  for  the  foundations,  by  con- 


Fig.  76 —The  Montalbans-Toren,  Amsterdam. 


fining  to  these  points  alone  the  labor  of  consolidating  the  soil, 
instead  of  extending  it  all  round  the  circumference  of  the  walls. 
This  system,  indeed,  is  only  the  application  of  the  principle 
which  was  carried  out  in  the  construction  of  our  large  cathedrals 


of  the  Middle  Ages. 


126  HOLLAND. 


The  artistic  riches  of  Amsterdam  are  its  museums,  iu  which 
are  deposited  the  masterpieces  of  the  Dutch  school, 

A  Frenchman,  more  witty  than  wise,  wrote,  a  short  time  since, 
during  his  visit  to  Amsterdam:  "Pay  no  attention  to  people  who 
advise  you  to  go  and  see  the  curiosities  of  Holland,  for  there  are 
none;  the  museums  are  few  and  but  indifferent;  there  are  two 
Rembrandts  and  one  Potter ;  this  is  all  that  is  worth  seeing ; 
and  my  guide  informs  me  that  the  '  Bull '  of  the  latter  and  the 
'Night  Watch'  of  the  former  are  much  criticised  and  depre- 
ciated." 

This  traveller  is  not  to  be  trusted.  He  was,  no  doubt,  exas- 
perated by  the  ridiculous  pretensions  of  the  Dutch,  who  do  not 
hesitate  to  prefer  Eembrandt's  "  Night  Watch  "  to  the  "  Trans- 
figuration "  of  Piaphael.  On  the  contrary,  the  museums  of  Hol- 
land, especially  that  of  Amsterdam,  will  well  repay  the  traveller 
for  frequent  visits. 

This  museum  is  located  in  an  ancient  private  house.  The 
pictures  are  placed  in  ordinary  rooms,  which  are  lighted  from 
the  sides;  the  ceilings  are  so  low  that  the  larger  paintings  nearly 
reach  the  floor,  so  that,  in  order  to  see  them,  you  nmst  stand  so 
as  almost  to  touch  those  on  the  opposite  side. 

It  is  unworthy  of  an  enlightened  people  to  show  such  want 
of  respect  both  to  the  productions  of  genius  and  to  the  public 
who  come  to  admire  them.  But  considerations  of  this  kind 
have  but  little  influence  on  the  Dutch,  and  they  are  readily  pro- 
vided with  a  reply  to  every  remonstrance  on  this  subject :  "  We 
are  satisfied  with  things  as  they  are,  and  if  others  do  not  approve 
of  them  they  may  stay  at  home."  This  manner  of  practising 
hospitality,  and  of  estimating  social  relations,  is  not  exactly  con- 
formable to  our  ideas,  and  we  give  a  very  different  reception  to 
those  who  think  fit  to  visit  us.  But  the  traveller  must  learn  to 
overcome  his  angry  feelings,  for  when  once  he  has  entered  the 
Amsterdam  museum  he  will  quickly  forget  his  first  impression. 

This  museum  is  the  most  important  in  Holland.  It  is  there 
that  we  should  study  this  school  of  painting,  the  last  which 


AMSTERDAM.  127 


arose  in  the  history  of  art,  the  only  one  born  on  German  soil, 
and  whose  works  show  such  an  incontestable  originality. 

These  artists  are  wanting  in  imagination;  they  do  not  rise 
into  the  ideal  world,  but  remain  on  the  earth ;  they  do  not  cre- 
ate, but  are  content  with  copying ;  but  how  carefully  they  per- 
form this  task  !  With  what  scrupulous  minuteness  do  they  not 
reproduce  even  the  slightest  details  of  the  design  of  a  drapery, 
its  bright  colors,  or  the  disposition  of  its  folds  !  with  what  care 
they  represent  the  mouldings  of  a  vase,  every  hair  in  a  furred 
robe,  the  bricks  of  a  house,  and  even  the  disproportion  of  the 
human  body  1  how  accurately  they  depict  the  grotesque  features 
and  the  heavy,  broad  shoulders  of  their  fellow-citizens !  Their 
entire  aim  is  the  glorification  of  real  life,  the  only  one  which 
they  can  comprehend.  They  neither  understand  nor  wish  to  see 
anything  except  the  quiet  repose  of  a  citizen's  home,  the  comfort 
and  conveniences  of  an  apartment  kept  carefully  closed,  the  sen- 
sual satisfaction  afforded  by  a  hearty  meal.  The  gayety  which 
they  depict  is  heavy,  dense,  and  trivial;  it  is  that  of  a  tavern,  or 
of  a  monotonous  and  regular  life.  They  do  not  bring  before  our 
notice  the  efforts  of  man  to  attain  to  happiness,  but  the  enjoy- 
ment which  he  derives  from  the  satisfaction  of  his  senses. 

Whenever  they  leave  this  habitual  track,  and  this  general  rule 
of  their  compositions,  their  idea  is  not  clearly  expressed  or  ren- 
dered evident.  The  tw^o  principal  paintings  in  the  museum  at 
Amsterdam,  Eembrandt's  "Night  Watch"  and  Yander  Heist's 
"  Civic  Banquet,"  are  proofs  of  our  assertion.  The  latter  repre- 
sents a  citizen  scene,  national  guards  seated  at  table,  and  all  the 
heads  are  portraits ;  the  former  is  a  work  of  imagination,  and 
the  subject  of  it  is  not,  even  up  to  the  present  time,  clearly 
determined. 

But  it  is  the  difference  of  origin  alone  w^hich  forms  the  dis- 
tinction between  these  two  works.  Both  have  an  astonishing 
truthfulness  and  depth  of  coloring ;  each  personage  is  depicted 
with  his  peculiar  character  and  temperament,  expressed  not  only 
in  his  features,  but  by  his  precise  and  sober  gestures.     As  to  the 


128  HOLLAND. 


details,  they  are  studied  with  a  carefulness  and  a  finish,  the  value 
of  which  can  be  appreciated  only  by  close  examination. 

The  principal  merit  which  is  displayed  in  these  works  —  a 
merit  perhaps  superior  to  truth  of  expression,  and  the  exactitude 
of  the  scenes  represented  —  is  the  knowledge  and  delicacy  of 
coloring  displayed  by  these  masters. 

In  order  thoroughly  to  understand  this  side  of  the  question, 
we  must  know  the  country  in  w^hich  the  Dutch  school  of  paint- 
ino"  took  its  rise,  and  thus  take  into  account  the  influence  which 
it  has  exercised  on  the  artists  and  their  jjroductions. 

The  deepest  impression  that  can  be  made  on  the  mind  of  a 
painter  is  that  which  is  produced  by  the  natural  objects  in  the 
midst  of  which  he  is  placed.  In  a  varied  and  rugged  country 
the  artist  notices  especially  and  almost  exclusively  the  outlines ; 
the  mountains  are  clearly  defined  against  the  sky  in  noble  and 
grand  forms.  In  Sicily  and  Tuscany,  for  instance,  every  object 
stands  out  in  bold  and  definite  relief  against  the  background 
formed  by  the  pure  and  clear  sky ;  in  flat  countries,  on  the  con- 
trary, the  contours  disappear,  all  forms  are  softened  down.  In 
the  Netherlands  the  lines  are  indistinct,  the  horizon  is  sombre 
and  cold ;  color  must  come  to  the  aid  of  drawing,  w^hich  is  of 
itself  insufficient  to  give  effect  to  form,  relief,  and  outline.  It  is 
for  this  reason  that,  when  making  a  comparison  between  the 
Venetian  and  Dutch  schools,  it  has  been  said  that,  in  these  two 
countries,  nature  has  made  man  a  colorist ;  but  Venice  had  its 
sun  to  gild  its  landscapes,  and  Holland  has  nothing  but  mist, 
which  leaves  hers  pale  and  cold.  The  fair  locks  of  the  patrician 
ladies  of  Venice  do  not  resemble  the  yellow  hair  of  the  wives  of 
the  bursjesses  of  Amsterdam. 

Drawing  may  indeed  represent  a  landscape  among  the  moun- 
tains of  Provence  or  Spain,  may  show  the  dry  and  dull  aspect 
of  the  soil,  all  the  tints  of  which  disappear  under  the  bright 
light  of  the  south ;  but  in  a  flat  and  moist  country  like  Holland, 
the  sky,  hidden  during  a  great  part  of  the  year,  loses  all  its 
importance ;  we  see  it  only  as  an  opaque  veil,  and  terrestrial 


AMSTERDAM.  129 


objects,  consequently,  acquire  an  importance  which  there  is 
nothing  to  counterbalance.  These  must,  therefore,  be  brought 
prominently  forward,  and  thrown  into  relief.  The  artist  must 
represent  these  glistening  muddy  streams,  changing  color  every 
moment,  passing  from  the  most  delicate  gray  tones  to  those  of 
moistened  soot.  He  must  shoAV  the  red  or  yellow  fronts  of  the 
houses,  or  the  cattle  dotted  here  and  there  over  meadows  always 
verdant;  objects  with  but  little  variety,  constantly  bathed  in 
vapor,  and  standing  out  against  a  level  and  monotonous  horizon. 

To  arrive  at  such  a  complex  result,  it  was  necessary  to  unite 
with  a  knowledge  of  all  the  niceties  and  resources  of  color  that 
calm,  placid,  and  studious  temperament  peculiar  to  the  Dutch, 
—  a  gift  indispensable  in  order  to  bring  to  a  successful  issue  the 
long  and  patient  study  necessary  to  conduct  to  the  end  which 
has  been  so  happily  attained. 

We  may  add  to  these  observations  on  the  Dutch  school  of  art, 
that  it  was  the  breath  of  liberty  to  which  it  owed  its  rise,  and 
that  when  the  Netherlands  lost  their  independence  they  saw  the 
last  of  their  great  artists  pass  away. 

We  are  now  near  the  time  of  the  Kermess,  the  great  annual 
fair  of  September.  As  soon  as  the  gas  is  lighted  Amsterdam 
changes  its  aspect ;  there  is  bustle  and  noise  instead  of  calm  and 
silence ;  the  whole  population  begin  to  prepare  for  the  enjoy- 
ment which  is  about  to  take  place,  and  present  a  curious  sight. 
The  princijDal  streets  are  filled  with  an  impatient  crowd,  rude  in 
their  movements,  and  with  whom  it  is  unpleasant  to  come  in 
contact.  In  the  public  squares,  booths  are  erected  for  the  sup- 
ply of  eatables  and  liquor,  and  for  the  sale  of  articles  of  every 
kind,  especially  such  as  are  brought  from  Paris.  There  are 
crowds  of  servants  arm-in-arm  with  soldiers,  all  in  a  state  of 
inordinate  gayety,  singing,  as  they  pass,  songs  which  excite 
shouts  of  laughter,  —  shrill,  prolonged  cries  which  fatigue  the 
ear.  But  this  gayety  is  coarse,  low,  and  noisy ;  the  animal  feel- 
ings are  unrestrained;  they  show  themselves  openly,  without 
bounds  or  disguise.     The   people  enjoy  to  repletion  during  a 


130  HOLLAND. 


whole  week  the  pleasures  from  which  they  have  abstained  for 
all  the  rest  of  the  year ;  expenses,  usually  so  economically  regu- 
lated, become,  for  the  time,  excessive ;  calm  and  quiet  are  ban- 
ished from  the  houses;  the  Dutchman  leaves  his  home  and  lives 
out  of  doors ;  though,  during  the  rest  of  the  year,  he  shows  his 
excessive  love  for  economy,  retirement,  and  silence,  yet  now, 
during  the  Kermess,  he  spends  his  money,  goes  out,  and  shouts. 
These  trivial  demonstrations,  this  coarse  enjoyment,  has  in  it 
nothing  attractive ;  far  from  this,  it  inspires  one  with  a  feeling 
of  utter  repulsion. 

"What  a  contrast  with  the  popular  fetes  of  Paris  or  Eome  I 
There  a  display  of  fireworks,  a  van  full  of  maskers,  a  band  in 
the  open  air,  are  enough  to  please  every  one ;  the  crowd  will 
remain  for  hours  to  see  a  sky-rocket  or  to  hear  a  song.  And 
how  thoroughly  they  fill  up  the  intervals,  while  away  the  time 
with  a  rattling  fire  of  personal  jokes,  an  uninterrupted  series  of 
witticisms  and  jests  which  pass  from  one  individual  to  another 
and  from  group  to  group  1  The  listeners  are  the  judges  of  this 
tournament  of  fun  ;  their  shouts  of  laughter  encourage  the  merry 
orators,  and  loud  "  bravos  "  await  the  happy  repartee  which  pro- 
cures for  its  author  the  difhcult  achievement  of  having  the  last 
word. 

In  Holland,  these  witty  contests,  these  battles  of  the  tongue, 
are  unknown ;  they  do  nothing  but  eat,  drink,  shout,  and  fight 
in  an  indescribable  manner. 

Holland  has  the  reputation  of  pure  morals,  but  it  does  not  de- 
serve this  credit  at  the  Kermess.  As  to  other  times,  after  having 
witnessed  certain  scenes  in  the  solitary  paths  of  the  "Wood  at 
the  Hague,  or  in  the  Calver  Straat  and  other  unmentionable 
quarters  of  Amsterdam,  we  may  well  ask  whether  this  pretended 
simplicity  is  anything  but  the  most  entire  corruption. 


NORTH    HOLLAND.  131 


NORTH   HOLLAND. 

*'  Some  of  the  details  of  this  singular  country  would  lead  us  to  suspect  that  a 
scene  had  been  got  up  to  mystify  the  traveller."  —  Nim. 

AMSTERDAM  is  the  starting-point  for  several  excursions, 
the  most  interesting  of  which  is  that  through  North  Hol- 
land, a  large  peninsula  united  to  the  continent  by  a  narrow  neck 
of  land. 

The  northern  canal  cuts  through  this  isthmus,  and  unites  the 
North  Sea  with  the  gulf  of  Y,  and  allows  ships  of  considerable 
burden  to  j)roceed,  at  all  seasons,  to  the  port  of  Amsterdam, 
without  undergoing  the  delays  peculiar  to  the  canal  of  Holland, 
or  fearing  the  sand- banks  and  shallows  of  the  Zuyder-zee. 

We  pass  over  the  gulf  of  Y  (which  froze  so  conveniently  in 
1794  as  to  allow  the  French  cavalry  to  board  the  fleet  of  the 
Netherlands),  and  when  once  we  are  on  the  other  side  we  look 
back  at  the  panorama  of  the  city  which  we  have  just  left,  —  a 
mass  of  red  houses  scarcely  rising  above  the  water,  four  or  five 
steeples,  gray  and  yellow  blocks  of  buildings,  a  slimy  and  glis- 
tening sea,  and,  if  it  is  warm  weather,  the  aroma  of  the  port  and 
the  canals  of  Amsterdam  brought  over  by  the  wind.  There  is 
nothing  here,  whatever  may  be  said,  to  remind  one,  even  re- 
motely, of  Venice  as  seen  from  Lido. 

Nearly  in  the  midst  of  the  gulf,  small  wooden  huts,  built  on 
piles,  standing  by  themselves  in  the  midst  of  the  waters,  on  a 
kind  of  dike,  are  the  pleasure-houses  of  the  rich  merchants  of 
the  city.  They  come  in  boats  to  pass  their  Sundays  in  these 
prisons,  and  make  themselves  happy  in  eating,  drinking,  and 
smoking,  without  the  fear  of  noise  or  any  visit  from  an  intruder. 


132  HOLLAND. 


There  are  two  principal  points  of  attraction  for  the  traveller 
in  Xorth  Holland.  One  is  the  fantastic  village  of  Broeck,  whose 
fastidious  and  ridiculous  cleanliness  is  known  to  all ;  and  the 
other  is  the  cottage  at  Zaandam,  inhabited  by  Peter  the  Great 
when  he  came  to  Holland  in  1696  to  study  ship-building. 

We  passed  by  these  two  points,  which  have  become  rather 
hackneyed,  and  preferred  to  continue  our  journey  as  far  as 
Enkuisen. 

It  would  give  the  reader  no  information  were  we  to  state  that 
the  country  is  flat ;  indeed,  it  would  be  incorrect  and  insufticient, 
for  we  ought  rather  to  call  it  hollow.  The  shores  of  the  sea  are 
slightly  elevated  by  means  of  dikes ;  the  rest  of  the  country  is 
depressed,  and  exactly  resembles  a  basin.  The  canal  of  Holland, 
which  reaches  from  Amsterdam  to  the  extremity  of  the  Helder, 
passes  to  the  left.  The  road  crosses  the  polders,  with  their 
meadoAvs,  cattle,  and  windmills,  which  are  everywhere  the  same. 
But  in  the  midst  of  this  monotony,  which  strikes  us  more  and 
more  forcibly  in  the  country,  we  see  more  decidedly  the  strange 
and  grotesque  aspect  of  the  works  of  man. 

The  country  is  very  rich.  AVe  perceive  this  by  the  number 
of  cattle,  as  well  as  of  houses,  and  more  strikingly  by  the  cos- 
tume of  the  inhabitants,  especially  of  the  women,  whose  heads 
are  enclosed  in  a  kind  of  helmet  similar  to  those  which  we  have 
already  described ;  but  with  this  difierence,  that,  instead  of  being 
made  of  copper  or  silver,  they  are  of  gold,  decorated  with  valua- 
ble stones  and  hIinJcers  of  excellent  workmanship.  The  women 
have  an  exaggerated  reputation  for  beauty;  yet  they  possess  a 
peculiar  charm,  owing  to  the  delicacy  of  their  skin,  the  bright- 
ness of  their  complexion,  and  the  whiteness  of  their  teeth.  Their 
hair,  as  far  as  they  allow  it  to  be  seen,  is  of  a  dull,  fair  hue. 
Tlieir  features  are  coarse,  their  gait  is  heavy,  and  entirely  desti- 
tute of  elegance  or  grace. 

The  farms  and  houses  inhabited  by  the  peasants  correspond 
but  little  with  the  idea  which  that  word  awakens  in  us.  In- 
stead of  heaps  of  manure,  cattle  wandering  at  liberty,  crowded 


NORTH    HOLLAND. 


133 


farmyards,  rooms  badly  kejjt  and  in  disorder,  and  the  untidy 
inhabitants  of  our  houses  in  the  country,  the  Dutch  farms  have 
courtyards  well  sanded,  enclosures  in  good  condition,  houses  neat 
and  well  kept ;  within  doors,  rooms  of  an  unheard-of,  excessive, 
inconceivable  cleanliness.  In  one  of  these  the  mistress  is  at 
work,  surrounded  by  her  maids.  Their  dress  is  coquettish  and 
even  elef>'ant.  The  stable,  which  has  a  direct  communication 
with  this  kind  of  parlor,  has  a  floor  perfectly  irreproachable. 


pTTTDTTMJMljWTTOilim^^  I 

Fig.  77.  —  Reception-room  in  a  Farm-liouse  in  ISTortli  Holland. 

clean,  and  free  from  vStains.  The  milk-pans  and  utensils  of 
every  sort  shine  and  glitter  with  a  brightness  continually  re- 
newed. The  bedrooms,  on  the  same  floor  with  the  rest  of  the 
dwellino'-house,  contain  lars^^e  beds  enclosed  in  alcoves,  which 
form  a  kind  of  cupboard.  There  are  nests  of  shelves  covered 
with  delft  ware  of  surprising  value.  In  the  common  room  we 
find,  hanging  on  the  walls,  maps,  mathematical  instruments,  a 
lactometer,  a  barometer,  a  level,  a  leveUing-staff,  or  carj)enter's 


134 


HOLLAND. 


tools.  On  a  book-shelf  are  arranged  books  and  newspapers. 
There  are  two  kitchens,  —  one  for  the  summer,  with  a  north  as- 
pect ;  the  other  for  winter  use,  sheltered  from  cold  winds,  — and, 


Fig.  78.  —  View  of  tlie  Exterior  of  a  Farm-lioiise  in  North.  Holland. 


B " 

J     3  2 


*  4 


Fig.  79.  —  Ground-plan  of  a  Farm-house. 

(Scale,  .039  inch  to  the  yard.) 


1.  Stable. 

2.  Cart-shed. 

3.  Kitchen. 


4.  Bedrooms. 

5.  Usual  entrance. 

6.  Special  entrance. 


to  crown  all,  a  room  for  grand  occasions,  cleaned  every  week 
with  the  most  scrupulous  care.  This  apartment  (Fig.  77)  is 
intended  for  no  special  purpose,  but  in  it  are  kept  the  rich 


NORTH    HOLLAND.  135 

family  ornaments,  and  the  layette  for  the  new-born  child.  It  is 
there  that  the  bride  puts  on  her  marriage-dress.  The  coffin  of 
the  dead  parent  is  placed  there.  The  door  of  this  room,  called 
the  "  golden  door,"  opens  on  the  road,  but  is  always  kept  closed 
excej^t  on  great  days  of  mourning  or  rejoicing,  —  a  baptism,  a 
marriage,  or  a  burial 

We  were  present  at  a  ceremony  of  the  latter  kind.  The  rela- 
tions and  friends  filled  the  room,  surrounding  the  coffin,  the  lid 
of  which  was  partly  raised,  so  as  to  show  the  face  of  the  dead. 
The  minister  and  the  schoolmaster  were  chanting  a  hymn,  in 
the  midst  of  cries  and  sobs  which  seemed  to  form  part  of  the 
ceremony.  Then  the  golden  door  was  opened,  the  bier  was 
placed  upon  a  car,  and  the  widow  solemnly  seated  herself  on 
the  remains  of  her  late  husband  to  convey  him  to  the  cemetery. 

Figs.  78  and  79  represent  the  house  of  a  respectable  peasant. 
It  contains  a  kitchen,  a  sitting-room,  and  bedchamber.  Behind, 
and  forming  a  part  of  the  same  building,  are  the  barn  and  a 
house  for  six  cows.  A  small  gable  surmounts  the  sitting-room, 
and  shows  the  importance  which  is  attributed  to  it.  The  four 
chimneys  unite  in  a  single  opening,  —  a  large  shaft  with  a  chim- 
ney-pot at  the  top. 

Figs.  80  and  81  represent  a  farm  of  greater  importance.  The 
stable  is  capable  of  containing  eighteen  cows.  The  dwelling 
contains  two  kitchens.  That  for  summer  use  is  isolated,  and 
has  wide  openings ;  that  used  in  winter  is  placed  in  the  centre 
of  the  building,  with  two  large  closets  to  contain  beds,  and  is  in 
direct  communication  with  the  stable,  which  is  perfectly  neat 
and  clean.  On  the  other  side  of  the  building  are  the  parlor,  the 
master's  bedroom,  and  the  special  room  with  its  private  door. 
Beyond  the  stable  are  the  piggery,  and  the  dairy  with  the  cheese 
heaped  up  in  the  corner,  reminding  one  of  cannon-balls  in  an 
arsenal ;  the  large  roof  contains  granaries  for  the  storage  of  corn 
and  fodder. 

These  two  farm-houses  are  constructed  of  wood  and  bricks. 
The  wall  of  the  basement  floor  is  a  brick  and  a  half  in  thick- 


136 


HOLLAND. 


ness.     The  upper  walls  are  of  only  a  single  brick;  but  their 


Fig.  80. —View  of  a  large  Farm-house. 


I  I  I  ui  I  q 
1  I  I  I  M  I  r 


r^T 


Fig.  81  —  Ground-plan. 
(Scale,  .OSS  inch  to  the  yard. 


1.  "Winter-kitclien. 

2.  Stable. 

3.  Piggery. 

4.  Summer-kitchen. 

5.  Sitting-room. 


6.  Bedroom. 

7.  Special  room. 

8.  Ordinary  entrance. 

9.  Special  entrance. 


NORTH    HOLLAND.  137 

outer  surface  is  covered  with  a  wainscoting  of  planks,  an  ar- 
rangement which  causes  the  interior  to  be  perfectly  healthy  and 
free  from  all  damp. 

The  larger  farm-house  is  covered  with  tiles,  the  smaller  one 
with  rushes  from  the  isle  of  Marken,  —  that  remarkable  little 
island  near  the  coasts  of  the  Zuyder-zee,  the  buildings  of  which 
resemble  those  of  a  colony  of  beavers.  These  two  houses  are 
most  carefully  constructed.  Among  the  noticeable  details  we 
may  mention  wooden  gutters  for  the  roof,  supported  by  small 
brackets,  discharging  arches  over  the  lintels,  and  proje'cting 
ridge-tiles,  to  prevent  water  penetrating  where  the  shafts  of  the 
chimney  pass  through  the  roof. 

These  buildings,  which  we  have  taken  as  a  type  among  the 
many  of  a  similar  kind  that  w^e  have  met  with,  are  in  a  perfect 
state  of  repair,  owing  to  the  constant  care  bestowed  on  them  by 
the  proprietor.  One  would  suppose  that  they  had  been  built 
but  yesterday;  and  yet  they  date  from  the  beginning  of  the 
seventeenth  century.  There  are  few  countries  where  buildings 
so  simply  and  economically  constructed,  and  of  materials  so 
little  durable,  have  lasted  to  the  present  time,  except  in  ruins, 
or  without  having  undergone  such  modifications  as  have  com- 
pletely altered  the  original  form. 

As  we  continue  our  journey  we  find  the  same  strange  char- 
acter showing  itself  still  more  and  more  in  the  habitations  and 
in  the  manners  of  the  people.  This  affords  some  relief  amidst 
the  monotony  of  the  landscape  which  never  varies.  In  certain 
parts  all  the  houses  are  built  in  the  middle  of  a  square  piece  of 
land,  surrounded  by  a  wide  ditch  full  of  water.  When  one  of 
the  inhabitants  wishes  to  go  out,  he  throws  over  the  ditch  a 
movable  bridge,  formed  of  a  plank,  which  he  kicks  back  again 
when  he  has  passed.  No  risk  here  of  being  annoyed  by  trouble- 
some visitors  or  prying  passers-by !  The  little  gardens  in  cer- 
tain small  towns  are  still  more  curious.  We  find  there  rustic 
bridges,  Japanese  temples,  Gothic  chapels,  and  ancient  ruins  in 
close  proximity.     We  even  see  summer-houses  in  which  are 


138  HOLLAND. 


stuffed  figures  forming  groups  not  easy  for  the  uninitiated  to 
understand.  Then,  under  trees  cut  out  of  zinc,  there  is  a  piece 
of  water  on  which  black  and  white  swans  and  tame  ducks  try 
to  reach  cakes  which,  like  themselves,  are  made  of  zinc ;  while 
red  fishes,  painted  on  cement  to  imitate  sand,  seem  to  be  swim- 
ming in  a  stream  of  which  we  cannot  say  "  susurrans  inter  lapil- 
los,"  for  it  is  formed  of  a  certain  number  of  panes  of  glass. 
These  are  but  playthings  for  grown-up  children. 

Sometimes  we  see  a  rich  farmer  driving  at  full  trot  along  the 
road,  which  is  paved  with  bricks,  in  order  to  avoid  both  nmd 
and  dust.  His  yellow  or  red  cab,  the  body  of  which  is  orna- 
mented with  paintings  and  carving,  is  mounted  on  high  wheels 
which  pass  rapidly  over  the  ground,  and  is  drawn  by  a  black 
stallion.  These  equipages  are  the  boast  of  their  owners.  The 
horses  are  remarkably  fine  animals,  with  black  coat,  and  a  tail 
which  reaches  the  ground.  We  see  in  Paris  their  degenerate 
descendants  performing  the  dismal  duty  of  drawing  funeral  cars. 

In  the  sixteenth  century  Enkuisen  sent  140  boats  to  the  fish- 
ery, and  had  20  men-of-war  to  protect  them.  At  this  period  it 
had  a  port  and  dockyard  for  building  ships,  and  its  walls  en- 
closed streets  with  large  and  luxurious  habitations;  now  the 
harbor  is  choked  with  sand,  the  dockyards  are  closed,  the  edi- 
fices destroyed.  The  grass  grows  on  the  remains  of  the  ruined 
buildings,  and  Enkuisen  has  but  500  inhabitants.  The  sight  of 
this  great  dilapidation  and  ruin  does  not  produce  such  an  im- 
pression as  might  be  expected.  The  houses  are  empty,  but  they 
are  always  clean,  and  the  bricks  and  stones  which  faU  from  the 
front  are  carefully 'heaped  together  before  each  house.  Time 
itself  has  introduced  order  and  method,  while  it  has  created 
such  a  solitude  and  desolation. 

That  which  still  remains  of  the  church  will  scarcely  give  an 
idea  of  what  it  formerly  was.  It  is  now  a  bare  chapel,  cold, 
sombre,  plastered  from  top  to  bottom,  and  paved  with  large 
black  slabs.  Its  rood-loft,  of  the  sixteenth  century,  is  covered 
with  carvino's  which  show  a  curious  mixture  of  Christian  sub- 


NORTH    HOLLAND.  139 

jects  and  mythological  allusions.  We  find  also  some  timber- 
work  and  a  pulpit  of  the  same  epoch,  which  are  curious  speci- 
mens of  the  Eenaissance  beyond  the  Khine.  We  will  not  speak 
of  their  form  and  details ;  but  the  execution  is  remarkable,  and 
shows  a  patience  and  manual  skill  which  we  can  only  regret  to 
see  employed  on  subjects  of  such  doubtful  interest. 

Among  the  buildings  that  yet  remain,  those  which  are  in  the 
best  condition  are  the  artisans'  houses  of  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury ;  they  are  still,  as  when  they  were  first  erected,  inhabited 
by  a  single  family.  Their  arrangement  is  very  simple  :  a  large 
room  looking  on  the  street,  one  of  smaller  dimensions  behind, 
and  at  the  back  a  courtyard  and  a  little  garden ;  on  the  upper 
floor  are  shops  or  work-rooms  for  the  inhabitant,  if  he  carries  on 
his  trade  in  his  own  dwelling-house. 

These  houses  are  wholly  of  brick  (Figs.  82  and  83),  with  the 
exception  of  a  few  parts  constructed  of  wood,  and  two  or  three 
pieces  of  stone.  They  are  well  built,  and  remain  in  good  repair 
in  the  midst  of  the  desolation  around  them.  Their  external  ap- 
pearance, characterized  by  lofty  gables  of  stair-like  form,  reminds 
one  rather  of  Flemish  gables  than  the  Dutch  ones  covered  with 
grotesque  ornaments;  as  to  the  internal  parts,  like  all  those 
that  we  have  already  seen,  they  are  replete  with  everything 
conducive  to  the  comforts  and  conveniences  of  life,  and  are  kept 
with  a  scrupulous  neatness  and  care  unknown  among  ourselves. 

A  little  above  Enkuisen  the  Zuyder-zee  grows  narrower,  and 
the  land  projects  on  each  side,  nearly  closing  the  entrance  of 
tliis  great  gulf.  The  industrious  and  persevering  genius  of  the 
Dutch  has  conceived  the  idea  of  draining  the  Zuyder-zee  and 
converting  it  into  polder.  All  that  would  be  necessary,  says  an 
official  report,  is  to  construct  a  dike  from  Medemblik,  a  cape  at 
no  great  distance  from  Enkuisen,  as  far  as  Stavoren  on  the  oppo- 
site shore,  that  is  to  say,  in  Friesland.  This  dike  would  be 
rather  more  than  31  miles  in  length,  with  a  variable  but  insig- 
nificant depth ;  the  portion  of  sea  to  be  drained  would  yield  a 
surface   of  494,228   acres.     Eugineers   are   now   studying   the 


140 


HOLLAND. 


means  of  carrying  out  this  plan;  bankers  are  raising  capitaL 
The  undertaking  will  perhaps  be  long  before  it  is  completely 
carried  out ;  but  the  scheme  is  feasible,  and  it  is  no  less  certain 
that,  if  commenced,  it  will  be  successful 

The  wind  has  blown  a  gale  since  yesterday,  so  that,  instead 
of  returning  to  Amsterdam,  we  started  for  the  Helder  to  see  the 
effect  of  the  great  waves  upon  the  dikes  which  protect  the  coast. 


Fig.  82. 


Fig.  83. 


Elevations  of  Artisans'  Houses  at  Enknisen. 

(Scale  of  about  V5  inch  to  the  yard.) 


It  is  a  magnificent  spectacle.  The  wind  is  dne  north,  and 
there  is  no  land  between  Holland  and  the  Pole  to  break  the 
force  of  the  rollers ;  they  are  of  monstrous  size,  and  their  fright- 
ful mass  dashes  incessantly  on  the  granite  walls  which  arrest 
their  course,  l^ot  a  sail  is  in  sight;  the  sky  is  dark  and 
gloomy.  It  is  very  cold;  the  terrible  uproar  of  the  sea  over- 
powers every  other  sound  in  the  heavens  or  on  land.     As  the 


NORTH    HOLLAND.  141 

night  comes  on,  every  one  departs.  The  engineers  and  those 
under  their  command  alone  remain  at  their  post,  ready  at  the 
first  signal  to  rush  to  the  threatened  point ;  for  upon  a  breach 
depends  perhaps  the  existence  of  the  country,  since  a  storm  like 
this  might  sweep  away  all  ]^orth  Holland  at  once. 

The  dikes,  against  which  the  sea  spends  its  force  in  fruitless 
efforts,  are  constructed  almost  entirely  of  Norwegian  granite; 
the}^  are  about  5  miles  long,  with  an  average  height  of  262  feet, 
46  of  which  rise  above  the  water,  and  the  slope  of  the  masonry 
is  40  degrees.  The  upper  part  serves  as  a  promenade  and  a 
public  drive. 


142  HOLLAND. 


UTRECHT. 

"Utrecht  is,  bj^  its  University,  the  seat  of  Protestant  orthodoxy."  —  Esquiros. 

FEO^I  Amsterdam  to  Utrecht  there  is  no  change  in  the 
usual  monotony  of  the  country.  We  pass,  for  a  short  dis- 
tance, through  a  large  meadow  planted  with  trees,  whose  trunks 
are  decorated  with  alternate  bands  of  black  and  white  paint,  of 
equal  breadth.  The  stakes  to  which  animals  are  tied,  the  milk- 
pails,  and  the  wooden  shoes  of  the  peasants  have  all  received  the 
same  kind  of  ornament.  The  road  over  which  we  pass  is  paved 
with  bricks,  so  as  to  form  black  and  white  stri]3es.  This  fright- 
ful repetition  of  the  same  things  and  the  same  colors,  a  repeti- 
tion for  which  no  motive  can  be  assigned,  troubles  the  mind 
and  irritates  the  reason ;  it  is  the  last  and  most  complete  ex- 
pression of  this  strange  mania  by  which  a  Avhole  people  is  so 
entirely  possessed. 

Utrecht  is  dull  and  solitary.  It  is  a  religious  city  where  old 
sects  are  still  preserved,  the  remembrance  of  which  is  almost 
entirely  effaced  and  lost  elsewhere.  The  austerity  of  Calvinism 
prevails  there  without  mitigation.  A  silence  peculiar  to  the 
cloisters  reigns  in  the  streets  bordered  with  houses,  which  are 
low,  narrow,  hermetically  closed,  without  any  mirrors  suspended 
at  the  windows,  without  anything  which  can  allow  those  within 
even  to  guess  at  that  which  is  passing  without.  Xo  carriages, 
no  pedestrians ;  here  and  there  may  be  seen  a  Jansenist,  with 
an  anxious  look,  exchanging,  as  he  passes,  a  glance  of  contempt 
with  an  orthodox  Lutheran ;  some  fair  Puritan,  with  downcast 
eyes,  goes  slowly  to  hear  a  sermon,  and  this  is  all !     The  greatest 


UTRECHT. 


143 


excitement  to  be  met  with  is  the  noise  of  the  little  cart  drawn 
by  a  dog,  in  which  a  tradesman  is  conveying  provisions;  a 
female  servant,  in  a  violet  dress,  —  for  such  is  the  uniform,  — 
her  arms  bare  as  far  as  the  shoulders,  shows  herself  at  the  area, 
makes  her  purchases  almost  without  a  word,  and  hastily  with- 
draws ;  then  all  returns  to  the  usual  quietude,  undisturbed  even 
by  the  sound  of  footsteps,  for  even  this  is  dulled  by  the  moss 
with  which  the  brick  pavements  of  the  streets  are  covered. 


Fig.  84. 


1st  story.  2d  Story. 

Plan  of  the  First  and  Second  Stories  of  the  Tower  of  the  Cathedral  at 
Utrecht. 

(Scale,  I'lo  inch  to  the  yard. 


Yet,  notwithstanding  this  sadness  and  solitude,  Utrecht  does 
not  fill  us  with  en7mi.  These  striking  characteristics,  so  rarely 
now  to  be  met  with,  have  left  upon  us  an  impression  on  which 
we  love  to  dwell.  We  especially  remember  a  very  small  house, 
shaded  by  large  trees,  by  the  side  of  a  canal  covered  with  duck- 
weed,—  a  house  where  one  would  love  to  study  quietly.  An- 
other, the  door  of  which  we  ventured  to  push  open,  showed  us 
an  old  man  sitting  in  a  large  room  filled  with  flowers,  singing 
psalms  with  his  two  daughters  by  his  side,  who  were  quietly 


144  HOLLAXD 


^YO^king  on  a  piece  of  tapestry,  while  their  mother  was  preparing 
dinner. 

How^  can  all  these  people  live,  and  what  is  their  home  exist- 
ence like  ?  It  is  not  easy  to  ascertain  it ;  and  perhaps,  if  our 
curiosity  were  satisfied,  it  would  end  in  deception,  by  placing 
before  us  individuals  filled  with  the  convictions  of  a  former  age, 
and  whose  ideas  do  not  extend  farther  than  a  limited  horizon, 
beyond  which,  as  far  as  they  are  concerned,  there  is  nothing. 

But  Utrecht  contains  the  most  remarkable  Dutch  edifice  of 
the  Middle  Ages ;  it  is  the  Dom-Kerk,  which  has  preserved  its 
Catholic  name  of  cathedral. 

Built  in  the  thirteenth  century,  on  the  ruins  of  a  primitive 
church,  it  contains  nothing  at  present  except  the  transept,  the 
choir  with  its  chapels,  and  the  tower  formerly  placed  at  the  en- 
trance. This  tower  is  now  separated  from  the  rest  of  the  struc- 
ture by  the  whole  space  once  occupied  by  the  nave,  the  very 
vestiges  of  which  have  disappeared. 

The  choir  and  the  transept  have  been  recently  restored  in  a 
remarkable  manner,  but  the  necessary  works  did  not  affect  the 
main  fabric ;  we  see  no  traces  of  important  alterations ;  the 
details  only  of  certain  parts  needed  reparation.  The  restorers 
respected  not  only  the  form  and  disposition  of  the  ancient  parts, 
but  also  the  arrangement  and  the  nature  of  the  materials. 

The  tower  (Domtoren)  is  the  most  remarkable  part  of  the 
building;  it  rises  from  a  ground-plan  62  feet  square,  and  is 
about  393  feet  in  height.  This  is  occupied  by  two  high  stories, 
the  upper  one  being  narrower  than  the  lower,  and  the  former  is 
surmounted  by  a  campanile,  a  sort  of  open  lantern,  the  lightness 
of  which  contrasts  with  the  lower  part  of  the  building,  which  is 
massive  and  heavy.  The  spire  which  should  crown  the  whole 
no  longer  exists. 

The  difference  of  width  between  the  two  stories  is  compen- 
sated by  the  excessive  dimensions  given  to  the  lower  w^alls, 
which,  as  they  retreat,  always  leave  sufficient  space  to  take  the 
bearing  of  the  upper  walls. 


Fig.  86. 


UTilECHT, 


147 


This  is  the  plan  on  which  many  steeples  were  erected  in 
France  during  the  Middle  Ages  (Limoges,  St.  Leonard,  etc.) ; 
but  the  tower  of  Utrecht,  which  resembles  that  of  Limoges  by 
being  separated  from  the  rest  of  the  church  by  the  space  for- 
merly occupied  by  the  nave,  was  constructed  with  less  science 
and  research.  The  Dutch  architect  employed  nothing  but 
bricks;  it  was,  therefore,  difficult  for  him  to  depend  on  slight 


Fig.  86.  —  Canal  at  Utrecht. 

and  but  few  points  of  support  for  the  structure ;  besides  this,  it 
would  have  been  imprudent  to  throw  the  weight  of  so  consider- 
able a  mass  on  piles  of  masonry  of  small  dimensions,  since  the 
soil  in  which  the  foundations  were  to  be  laid  was  of  an  inferior 
quality.  It  was  necessary,  on  the  contrary,  to  divide,  as  he  has 
done,  the  weight  of  the  whole  work  over  the  largest  possible 
surface,  in  order  to  avoid  the  subsidence  or  flaws  so  much  to  be 
feared  under  these  circumstances. 


148 


H  0  L  L  A#N  D . 


The  plan  of  the  two  stories  (Fig.  84)  shows  the  whole  system 
of  constructioa  Intermediate  masses  of  masonry  have  been 
constructed  to  consolidate  the  original  work,  which  render  it 
difficult  to  ascertain  it  with  certainty.  Fig.  85  gives  an  idea 
of  the  general  aspect  of  this  tower,  by  far  the  most  interesting 
of  all  those  which  we  have  seen  in  Holland. 


Fig.  87. 


The  Oude  Gracht  (old  canal),  which  crosses  the  city  in  its 
greatest  length,  has  by  its  side  quays  with  two  terraces.  The 
lower  one,  which  scarcely  rises  above  the  level  of  the  canal,  is 
bordered  by  arches,  which  afford  shelter  to  fishermen,  sailors, 
and  all  those  whose  business  is  carried  on  by  water.     The  ex- 


UTRECHT.  149 


trades  of  these  vaults  —  which,  by  the  way,  are  very  unhealthy 
—  is  converted  into  promenades,  along  which  are  erected  build- 
ings of  a  rich  and  comfortable  appearance,  each  always  inhab- 
ited by  a  single  family  (Fig.  86). 

Utrecht  was  our  last  stage  in  Holland.  Beyond  this  city  the 
nature  of  the  country  begins  to  change.  There  are  no  longer 
those  interminable  meadows  which  w^e  have  never  ceased  to 
traverse  since  we  left  Dordrecht.  We  see  ploughed  fields,  with 
here  and  there  a  copse;  a  kind  of  hill  diversifies  the  horizon, 
and  then,  towards  evening,  the  last  windmill  is  lost  in  the  mist 
(Fig.  87). 


150  HOLLAND 


FINE  ARTS.  —  MANNERS.  —  CUSTOMS. 

BEFOPiE  we  reacli  the  frontier  of  Germany,  let  ns  rapidly 
sum  up  our  impressions  of  what  we  have  seen  in  Holland. 

Holland  has  no  architecture  of  its  own.  Its  public  buildings 
and  its  arts  have  no  peculiar  style ;  its  school  of  painting  alone 
has  cast  a  bright  splendor  on  the  seventeenth  century.  From 
this  period  the  Dutch  seem  to  have  renounced  the  fine  arts,  in 
order  to  give  themselves  exclusively  to  commerce,  to  trade,  and 
all  those  professions  adapted  to  ameliorate  the  physical  condi- 
tion of  mankind. 

In  fact,  Holland  produces  nothing  of  importance  to  the  liter- 
ary world,  —  a  subject  which  does  not  at  present  occupy  our 
attention.  Statistics  prove  that  though  this  is  the  country 
where  the  most  printing  is  done,  it  is,  on  the  contrary,  that  in 
which  the  fewest  books  are  written.  Publishers  issue  nothing 
but  theological  works,  and  more  especially  translations  of  for- 
eign productions. 

Modern  Dutch  painters  do  not  challenge  notice,  and  this  mod- 
esty is  not  a  proof  of  great  artistic  excellence. 

Dutch  architects  also  produce  nothing  new ;  for  in  all  that  we 
have  seen  and  brought  before  the  attention  of  the  reader,  noth- 
ing indicates  an  original  school,  which  has  a  style  of  its  own, 
and  is  not  a  souvenir  of  the  buildings  of  another  country.  Some 
few  houses  only  have  a  special  character,  —  an  arrangement 
peculiar  to  themselves. 

Upon  what  does  this  state  of  things  depend,  and  how  can  we 
explain  it  ?  It  will  be  necessary,  for  this  purpose,  to  enter  into 
some  details ;  and  as  the  nature,  the  customs,  and  the  tastes  of 


FINE    ARTS.  — MANNERS.  — CUSTOMS.        151 

men  are  always  indicated  by  the  dwellings  which  they  rear,  and 
the  public  buildings  which  they  originate,  let  us  inquire  what 
are  the  disposition,  the  habits,  and  the  tastes  of  the  Dutch. 

And,  first  of  all,  the  country.  The  soil  is  damp,  because  of  its 
situation  below  the  level  of  the  sea ;  then  it  is  watered  by  three 
great  rivers,  the  Scheldt,  the  Meuse,  and  the  Rhine ;  it  is  inter- 
sected by  numerous  canals,  and  in  certain  parts  water  stagnates 
on  the  surface  of  the  soil.  The  inhabitants  must  therefore  keep 
up  an  incessant  struggle  to  enable  the  land  to  defend  itself 
against  the  water,  —  a  conflict  in  which  the  very  life  of  the  peo- 
ple is  at  stake.  The  climate,  saturated  with  vapor,  relaxes  a 
man's  nerves,  does  not  excite  his  passions,  but  rather  tends  to 
calm  them ;  and  the  precautions  necessary  for  his  defence  render 
him  persevering,  patient,  and  laborious. 

NTow  let  us  examine  the  individual  himself  The  Dutch  race 
is  a  branch  of  the  Germanic  stock,  with  fair  complexion,  blue 
eyes,  and  light  hair ;  they  are  jocosely  said  to  have  turnip-juice 
in  their  veins.  The  Hollanders  are  tall,  well  formed,  but  with- 
out elegance ;  carved,  as  it  were,  with  the  axe.  Their  features 
are  bony ;  they  have  a  heavy  and  dull  look,  with  no  resemblance 
whatever  to  Grecian  statuary. 

They  receive  impressions  from  without  but  slowly ;  their  in- 
telligence is  neither  active  nor  alert ;  they  are  wanting  in  what 
is  called  quickness  of  apprehension  {esprit) ;  if  you  ask  them  for 
information  or  direction,  the  answer  is  slow  in  coming ;  you  no- 
tice a  painful  effort  which  is  shown  in  the  face,  —  an  evident 
difficulty  in  finding  a  suitable  reply.  A  dealer  in  cigars  threw 
himself  into  a  perspiration  one  day  in  explaining  to  me,  very 
insufficiently,  the  value  of  the  national  coinage.  The  Dutch  are 
not  very  refined  in  their  pleasures ;  during  the  Kermess  the 
people  give  way  to  low  debauchery.  They  are  indifferent  to  the 
gratification  of  vanity  or  glory;  their  calm,  unimpressionable 
disposition  deters  them  from  ambition.  They  know  how  to  be 
content ;  and  when  they  have  attained  the  end  proposed,  we  see 
them  give  up  business,  while  yet  young,  to  enjoy  a  repose  which 


152  HOLLAND. 


will  allow  them  to  live,  for  a  long  time,  on  the  fruit  of  their 
labors. 

The  Dutch  are  domesticated,  economical,  rather  unsociable. 
When  together  they  are  good  listeners ;  they  will  remain  im- 
movable for  several  hours;  they  are  not  dazzled  by  frivolous 
appearances,  but  wish  to  go  thoroughly  into  a  question.  It  is  on 
this  account  that  their  banking-houses  are  so  prosperous  and  so 
firmly  established.  They  shut  themselves  up  in  their  homes, 
living  a  family  life,  devoted  to  a  certain  routine  of  religious 
observances,  and  never  seem  to  dream  of  anything  beyond  this 
limited  horizon. 

Public  assemblies  are  very  rare ;  social  meetings  are  almost 
unknown.  At  Scheveningen,  the  most  frequented  seaside  town 
in  the  Xorth,  we  may  see  mothers  at  work,  surrounded  by  their 
children,  and  forming  each  a  separate  clan,  without  uniting  in 
groups  and  coteries,  as  among  ourselves;  they  have  even  in- 
vented, for  this  purpose,  a  kind  of  hut  or  watch-box,  which, 
under  the  pretence  of  sheltering  them  from  the  wind  and  the 
sun,  serves  to  isolate  and  conceal  them  from  each  other ;  and  in 
these  the  women  w^ork  for  hours  together,  without  speaking  or 
even  stirring.  The  love  of  gain,  and  the  desire  of  promoting 
their  worldly  interests,  occupy  all  the  powers  of  their  minds, 
and  divert  them  from  the  search  after  intellectual  or  metaphysi- 
cal enjoyments. 

Eeligious  questions,  in  which  they  are  so  intolerant,  disturb 
and  trouble  them.  They  have  established  neutral  schools,  rea- 
sonably hoping  that  children  of  various  religions,  subjected  to 
the  same  rules  and  the  same  instructions,  wall,  when  they  have 
grown  up,  be  more  ready  to  make  concessions,  and  be  more  tol- 
erant towards  each  other. 

Their  calmness  and  tenacity  of  purpose  easily  turn  to  obsti- 
nacy. One  evening  at  Amsterdam,  in  the  Dam  Square,  an  om- 
nibus contained  one  passenger  too  many.  They  were  going  to  a 
kind  of  promenade  concert  which  closed  at  ten  o'clock.  It  was 
already  eight ;   the  conductor  refused  to  start,  the  passenger  to 


FINE    ARTS.  — MANNERS.  — CUSTOMS.        153 

get  out.  The  conveyance  drove  once,  twice,  three  times  round 
the  square,  and  then  returned  to  the  starting-point.  A  crowd 
gathered  round ;  there  were  no  shouts,  no  angry  words ;  they 
discussed  seriously  the  rights  of  the  passengers  and  the  duty  of 
the  conductor.  At  ten  o'clock  the  coachman  took  out  his  horses 
and  w^ent  home  to  bed ;  the  passengers  also  left  the  vehicle  and 
returned  home ;  they  had  lost  their  evening's  amusement,  but 
they  had  not  yielded  the  disputed  point.  It  is  worthy  of  notice 
that  the  police  had  no  occasion  to  interfere,  and  that  no  one  had 
even  thought  of  them. 

The  family  is,  with  them,  the  object  of  a  truly  religious  wor- 
ship. Ill-conducted  households  are  very  rare.  The  birth  of  a 
child  is  announced  to  the  public  by  a  small  cushion  suspended 
outside  the  house,  and  the  sight  of  this  imposes  on  those  who 
pass  by  certain  notice  and  attention. 

The  tastes  of  the  Dutchman  are  all  directed  to  the  satisfaction 
of  some  material  wants.  The  most  strongly  developed  of  these 
is  the  love  of  good  cheer,  for  he  has  an  excellent  appetite.  Next 
to  peace  of  mind  and  repose,  which  he  loves  above  all  things,  he 
enjoys  the  happiness  of  a  comfortable,  neat  home,  a  quiet  hearth, 
exempt  from  storms.  He  excels  in  such  w^orks  as  demand  great 
patience,  attention,  and  perseverance.  It  is  among  the  Dutch 
that  we  meet  with  the  best  diamond-cutters,  —  a  profession  at 
which  a  workman  must  be  occupied  for  months  together  in 
cutting  and  polishing  a  small  precious  stone  of  insignificant 
dimensions. 

The  Dutch  feel  no  desire  to  talk  or  to  sing.  It  is  only  during 
the  Kermess  that  we  hear  for  a  few  days  in  the  streets  the  songs 
which  are  so  frequent  in  our  Southern  towns.  Dealers  who  sell 
their  wares  in  the  streets  do  not  attract  purchasers  by  their 
cries :  they  pass  silently  along,  always  at  the  same  hour,  before 
the  houses  of  their  customers. 

Tlieir  love  of  cleanliness  has  become  a  mania,  and  the  seem- 
ingly incredible  exaggerations  which  we  hear  of  this  quality  are 
only  simple  truth. 


154  HOLLAND 


The  desire  of  gain  has  induced  them  to  conquer  their  love  of 
repose.  Hardy  mariners,  skilful  merchants,  they  have  profited 
in  a  remarkable  manner  by  their  intercourse  with  Japan; 
squeezing  the  inhabitants  dry,  buying  for  a  trifle  that  which 
they  sell  in  Europe  for  gold,  and,  until  lately,  tiiey  were  the 
only  people  of  the  Old  World  who  had  a  factory  in  Japan. 

Their  servants  are  not,  like  ours,  lodged  in  the  upper  story 
of  the  house.  They  are  few^  in  number,  have  apartments  near 
their  masters,  and  are  in  constant  communication  with  the  mis- 
tress, who  is  not  satisfied  with  merely  superintending  and  di- 
recting them  in  the  cares  of  the  household,  but  she  assists  with 
her  own  hands  in  domestic  affairs. 

Charity  is  entirely  dependent  on  private  enterprise,  and  yet 
there  is  no  country  in  Europe  which  possesses  so  great  a  number 
of  establishments  for  the  relief  of  human  misery.  They  make 
some  display  of  this  very  natural  feeling,  and  the  odd  uniforms 
in  which  they  dress  the  paupers  in  their  almshouses  must  at  all 
times  lessen  the  dignity  of  the  unfortunate  recipients  and  the 
modesty  of  their  benefactors. 

They  are  generally  rich,  sometimes  very  rich,  and  pay  exorbi- 
tant taxes.  It  is  requisite,  in  order  to  become  an  elector,  to 
pay  in  land-tax  alone,  nearly  150  florins,  about  121.  12  s. 

They  do  not  like  discussion,  and  are  good  listeners,  as  w^e 
have  already  said ;  therefore  the  representative  and  parliament- 
ary regime  suits  them  admirably,  and  their  political  organiza- 
tion is  carried  on  in  a  manner  which  may  excite  our  envy.  It 
is  not  the  same  wdth  religious  questions ;  and,  while  they  agree 
on  political  matters,  they  can  never  come  to  an  understanding 
on  religious  dogmas,  which  are  the  source  of  constant  and  inter- 
minable discussions,  in  which  they  almost  lose  their  temper. 

It  is  easy,  from  what  has  been  said,  to  understand  why  the 
architecture  of  Holland  is  such  as  we  have  found  it.  Except  a 
few  churches  of  the  j\Iiddle  Ages,  bequeathed  to  them  by  the 
Roman  Catholic  religion,  the  Dutch  have  no  ecclesiastical  build- 
ings worthy  of  the  name,  because  they  are  divided  into  so  many 


FINE    ARTS.  — MANNERS.  — CUSTOMS,        155 

sects  that  a  small  space  is  sufficient  to  conduct  the  worship  of 
each. 

They  have  no  theatres  because  they  are  not  fond  of  meeting 
in  public ;  and  in  literature,  as  well  as  in  painting,  they  care 
only  for  the  representation  of  the  ordinary  actions  of  their  daily 
life,  —  subjects,  as  we  may  believe,  but  little  adapted  to  excite 
the  genius  or  imagination  of  foreign  poets  or  musicians. 

We  have  already  seen  that  they  themselves  neglect  literary 
productions. 

They  have  no  splendid  buildings  for  their  museums,  since 
they  do  not  value  external  appearance,  and  are  insensible  to 
that  which  speaks  merely  to  the  eye.  They  consider  the  riches 
of  a  museum  to  consist  only  in  the  works  of  art  which  it  pos- 
sesses, and  not  in  the  building  which  contains  them. 

For  the  same  reason  they  dispense  with  elegant  buildings  for 
their  town  halls  and  courts  of  justice,  as  well  as  for  the  dwell- 
ings of  their  princes  and  high  functionaries ;  since  they  despise 
everything  which  has  for  its  aim  outward  appearance,  —  that 
which  merely  pleases  the  eye,  without  having  any  useful  and 
remunerative  purpose ;  this  causes  them  to  neglect  the  decora- 
tion and  ornamental  arrangement  of  their  towns. 

On  the  other  hand,  they  have  schools,  hospitals,  asylums  for 
the  poor,  dikes,  harbors,  roads,  canals,  and  railways ;  works  in 
which  practical  ideas  prevail  rather  than  the  imagination,  and 
where  we  find,  combined  with  an  outward  form  almost  always 
unpleasant  and  of  doubtful  taste,  a  skilful  carrying  out  of  the 
proposed  plan,  and  a  logical,  clever  adaptation  of  the  means 
necessary  to  attain  the  desired  end. 

They  have  especially  dwelling-houses  very  well  suited  to  their 
character,  their  tastes,  and  their  wants.  These  are  small,  sombre, 
detached,  all  alike,  perfectly  neat  within  and  without,  divided 
into  a  limited  number  of  rooms  of  considerable  size,  with  a 
small  garden,  where  they  cultivate  the  flowers  which  they  love 
so  well.  This  affords  the  Dutchman  the  most  complete  satisfac- 
tion of  his  desires  and  aspirations.     He  is  there  alone  and  at 


156  HOLLAND. 


peace,  shut  in,  with  no  neighbors,  no  prying  looks,  no  noise. 
These  houses  are  as  well  adapted  to  their  inhabitants  as  the 
inhabitants  themselves  seem  made ,  for  them. 

Such  dwellings  as  these  would  be  utterly  unsuitable  for  us 
who  are  so  fond  of  variety  and  novelty,  w^ho  cliange  our  habita- 
tions ten  times  in  the  course  of  our  lives,  modifying  our  abode 
according  to  our  situation  at  the  time,  our  present  resources,  or 
the  increase  of  our  family.  If  the  Hollander  grows  rich,  he 
improves  the  interior  arrangements  of  his  house,  but  without 
changing  his  residence ;  if  his  family  increase  (never  beyond  a 
certain  number),  the  children  are  crowded  together,  and  leave 
their  home  while  young  to  seek  their  fortune  elsewhere,  —  in 
Java  or  the  Indies,  —  but  the  idea  of  the  removal  of  the  house- 
hold would  never  occur  to  them.  There  are  no  apartments  to 
let  at  Amsterdam,  Eotterdam,  or  the  other  large  towns,  and  a 
house  is  never  rebuilt  till  it  falls  down.^  The  system  of  tracing 
out  new  streets  by  expropriation  is  entirely  unknown. 

The  plan  of  building  detached  houses  inhabited  by  a  single 
family  has  not  yet  been  adopted  by  us.  and  it  is  probable  that 
it  will  be  long  before  we  imitate  it.  The  excessive  value  of 
land  in  large  towns  is  doubtless  one  of  the  reasons  of  this,  but 
not  the  only  motive ;  since  in  London,  w^here  land  is  as  expen- 
sive as  at  Paris,  each  person  has  his  own  house.  The  true  cause 
of  this  habit  depends  upon  our  natural  disposition  and  our  origin. 
We  are  of  Latin  race,  and  we  like  to  make  a  show.  Everything 
wdiich  is  brilliant  and  splendid  pleases  and  attracts  us.  We  are 
fond  of  beautiful  stuffs,  of  bright  colors,  of  palaces,  and  all  that 
can  throw  an  illusion  over  our  life  and  the  social  position  we 
occupy.  We  should  never  be  contented  to  inhabit  a  house 
built  of  bricks,  mean  in  appearance,  with  contracted  windows, 
low  doors,  and  narrow  passages  and  staircases.  We  require 
large  vestibules,  a  hall  with  a  wide  j^orte-cochere,  a  grand  stair- 
case, an  ornamental  fac^ade,  and  all  those  external  signs  which 

1  They  have,  however,  lately  endeavored  to  build,  in  Amsterdam,  a  quarter 
where  new-comers  may  be  able  to  take  refuge. 


FINE    ARTS.  — MANNERS.  — CUSTOMS.         157 

would  give  a  stranger  an  idea  of  our  fortune  and  position  in  the 
world.  We  can  only  satisfy  desires  of  this  kind  at  great  ex- 
pense, and  a  private  individual  cannot  procure  the  enjoyment  of 
them  from  his  own  resources ;  therefore  several  unite  their  funds 
and  inhabit  a  large  house,  with  such  conditions  of  outward  ap- 
pearance as  please  them  best,  the  expenses  of  which  are  less 
since  they  are  divided  among  a  greater  number.^ 

A  private  house  includes  in  France  not  only  the  expense  of 
the  first  establishment,  the  price  of  the  land  and  of  construction, 
but  the  additional  outlay  for  decoration,  repairs,  servants,  porter, 
gardener,  and  other  expenditure  of  the  same  kind ;  which,  as  we 
have  seen,  the  economical  Dutchman  is  singularly  able  either  to 
restrain  within  due  bounds,  or  to  avoid  altogether. 

We  ^^•ill  not  here  discuss  the  question  whether  we  are  right 
or  wrong,  —  whether  we  are  the  madmen,  and  the  Dutch  are 
wise.  We  merely  state  facts,  show  the  conditions  under  which 
we  live,  the  details  of  our  social  life  which  distinguish  us  from 
the  Hollanders ;  and  we  will  conclude  by  saying  that  the  Dutch 
houses,  so  well  adapted  to  their  inhabitants,  would  be  as  little 
appreciated  by  us,  as  our  spacious  habitations,  in  which  several 
families  live  side  by  side,  would  be  suited  to  their  tastes. 

1  It  is  understood  that  we  here  speak  of  only  the  middle  ranks  both  in  France 
and  Holland.     The  higher  or  lower  classes  are  not  atfected  by  these  considerations. 


GERMANY. 


HANOVER.- HAMBURG. -THE  DUCHIES. 


FROM   UTRECHT  TO   HANOVER. 

THE  COUNTRY,  THE  JOURNEY,  AND  THE  TRAVELLERS. 

IT  was  with  a  heart-rending  feeling  that  we  approached  the 
frontiers  of  Germany.  We  thought  with  sadness  of  all  the 
harm  that  had  been  done  to  ns  by  those  who  had  come  from 
that  country.  The  image  of  our  disasters,  of  the  terrible  misfor- 
tunes of  which  we  had  been  victims,  recurred  to  our  mind,  with 
the  remembrance  of  all  the  painful  details  and  the  mournful 
scenes  which  had  accompanied  them ;  but  an  interest  which  can 
easily  be  understood  urged  us  onward.  We  wished  to  see  in 
their  homes,  to  study  in  their  own  country,  those  Germans  who 
know  us  so  well,  and  whom  we  know  so  imperfectly  and  so 
little.  We  had  already  visited  Germany,  but  before  1870;  and 
since  that  time  both  the  people  and  the  country  appeared  to  us 
in  a  new  light  and  under  another  aspect.  In  order  thoroughly 
to  attain  our  end,  we  ought  perhaps  to  have  gone  to  Prussia; 
but  our  courage  had  failed  us,  and  we  had,  on  the  contrary, 
chosen  for  the  scene  of  our  new  journey  those  provinces  of  this 
great  empire  which  were  the  least  Prussian,  and  had  been  the 
most  recently  annexed. 

At  Oldenzaal  the  Dutch  custom-house  officers,  dressed  in 
white  and  red,  bade  us  adieu.  Those  who  received  us  at  Ben- 
theim  had  the  rough  speech  and  the  appearance  of  soldiers. 
The  railway-station  is  fortified ;  the  employes  wear  the  military 
costume;  they  are  armed,  and  you  would  imagine  that  you  were 


162  GERMANY. 


entering  a  fortress.  Germany,  from  the  very  first,  appeared  to 
us  under  that  aspect  which  is  the  basis  of  its  character,  —  that 
of  military  government  carried  to  the  last  extreme ;  society,  as  a 
whole,  organized  like  an  immense  regiment,  in  which  each  mem- 
ber, from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  is  but  a  number. 

Custom-house  officials  do  not  in  any  country  assume  attrac- 
tive forms,  but  nowhere  are  they  so  disagreeable  as  in  Germany. 
Eude  and  imperious,  they  thrust  everywhere  their  villanously 
dirty  hands,  indulging  occasionally  in  coarse  jests,  repeated  with 
the  accompaniment  of  rude  shouts  of  laughter.  They  take  an 
immense  time  in  performing  their  duties,  and  confiscate  every 
doubtful  article  with  a  zeal  that  reminds  one  of  the  former  cus- 
tom-house officers  of  the  Italian  principalities. 

But  everything  comes  to  an  end  in  this  lower  world,  even  a 
visit  from  German  officials;  and  at  last  they  allowed  us  to  re- 
turn to  our  carriage  and  continue  our  journey. 

The  railway  from  Eheine  to  Minden  —  a  point  where  it  joins 
the  line  from  Hanover  to  Cologne  —  is  a  new  route,  still  but 
little  known,  and  which  appears  picturesque  to  a  traveller  arriv- 
ing from  Holland.  He  sees  cultivated  land,  high  hills  covered 
with  woods,  cottages  painted  with  cobalt  blue  or  vermilion,  carts 
passing  with  the  last  loads  of  the  year's  harvest ;  all  around  are 
numbers  of  young  men  and  girls,  strong,  vigorous,  and  well  pro- 
portioned. Near  Osnabriick,  the  centre  of  important  iron-mines, 
we  saw^  an  immense  assemblage  of  workmen,  —  a  sort  of  meeting- 
preparatory  to  a  strike.  In  the  country,  at  the  entrance  of  the 
towms,  and  at  the  gates  of  the  stations,  are  large  direction-posts 
covered  with  notices,  showing  the  name  of  the  province,  that  of 
the  commune,  the  number  of  the  regiment,  of  the  battalion,  and 
of  the  landwehr  company,  of  which  the  adjoining  country  forms 
a  part.  This  is  one  of  the  elements  of  the  district  organization 
which  renders  it  so  easy  to  concentrate  rapidly  mobilized  troops, 
since  each  soldier  belonging  to  them  knows  beforehand  the  place 
of  meeting.  At  the  more  important  stations  —  that  is  to  say, 
almost  every  hour  —  there  is  a  long  stoppage.     The  train  is 


FROM    UTRECHT    TO    HANOVER.  163 

emptied,  the  travellers  rush  out  into  the  refreshment-rooms,  take 
by  storm  mountains  of  rolls  filled  with  ham  or  cheese,  which 
they  wash  down  with  large  glasses  of  ale  drunk  off*  at  a  draught, 
and  then  return  supplied  with  sufficient  ^^rovisions  to  last  until 
they  reach  the  next  station. 

The  passengers  are  unoccupied  during  the  journey.  They  do 
not  read,  converse  but  little,  and  hum  occasionally  some  patri- 
otic airs.  Their  only  amusement,  when  they  cease  to  eat,  is  to 
smoke  enormous  pipes.  Sometimes  they  smoke  at  the  same 
time  a  cigar  and  a  pipe,  taking  alternate  whiffs  at  each. 

Contrary  to  what  takes  place  among  us,  who  have  a  smoking 
compartment,  they  have  one  for  those  who  do  not  smoke.  The 
men  appear  rough,  brusque,  unpolished.  They  thrust  aside 
without  pity  the  women  and  children  who  come  in  their  way, 
in  order  to  get  first  into  the  carriages  and  secure  the  best  places. 
The  jokes  which  pass  among  them  if  they  are  successful,  and  the 
gestures  by  which  they  are  accompanied,  are  rude  and  foolish ; 
but  these  excite  loud  and  boisterous  laughter,  the  repetition  of 
which  is  annoying  and  fatiguing.  Happily  the  carriages  are 
comfortable,  and  each  compartment  is,  as  a  rule,  far  from  full. 
There  are  four  classes ;  the  first  exactly  resembles  our  coupes. 
As  to  the  fourth,  it  is  no  better  than  our  cattle-vans.  The  seats 
in  the  second-class  carriages,  placed  opposite  to  each  other,  can 
be  drawn  nearer  at  night,  and  form  an  excellent  bed.  The  ex- 
press trains  usually  have  carriages  of  all  four  classes. 

The  station  at  Minden  looks  like  a  veritable  fortress,  with  an 
external  rampart  protected  by  forts.  The  railway  here  enters 
the  valley  of  the  Weser,  —  a  very  strong  line,  and  Avell  defended. 
All  the  railway-stations  have  the  appearance  of  fortifications 
(Fig.  88).  They  are  built  of  brick,  with  watch-towers,  machico- 
lations, and  loopholes.  One  would  imagine  them  to  be  great 
playthings,  if  the  Germans  were  fond  of  play.  It  is  most  rea- 
sonable to  suppose  that  our  prudent  neighbors  have  desired  to 
provide  against  the  possibility  of  an  attack  in  the  northwest,  and 
to  arrange  that  in  case  of  defeat  they  might  be  able  to  fall  back 


164 


GERMANY. 


and  re-form  under  the  shelter  of  a  second  line  resting  on  the  sea, 
and  extendingr  along  the  course  of  the  Weser. 

The  views  and  landscapes  which  succeed  each  other  are  varied 
and  interesting ;  but  they  are  wanting  in  animation  and  cheer- 
fulness, in  that  joyful  festival  air  which  gives  such  a  charm  to 
the  countries  of  the  South,  where  you  constantly  hear  the  shouts 


Fig.  88..— Railway-station  in  Germany. 

and  lively  songs  in  which  the  people  of  France,  Spain,  and  Italy 
take  such  delight. 

The  buildings,  w^hich  lie  on  each  side  of  the  road,  bear  no  re- 
semblance to  those  which  we  have  hitherto  seen.  Their  form 
and  arrangement  are  infinitely  varied ;  the  exteriors  differ 
greatly,  and  the  picturesque  is  developed  freely  on  the  fagades. 


FROM    UTRECHT    TO    HANOVER.  165 

The  materials  employed  are  brick  and  the  white  stone  of  the 
country.  These  bricks  are  used  in  every  possible  combination. 
They  have  also  special  forms  of  them,  which  are  adapted  for  use 
in  a  manner  unknown  among  ourselves,  and  which  produce  un- 
usual forms  of  great  originality.  Their  colors  are  as  varied  as 
their  shape. '  Sometimes  the  angle  of  a  brick  is  removed ; 
several  bricks,  thus  broken,  being  placed  by  the  side  of  each 
other,  produce  an  effect  like  the  teeth  of  a  saw.  Four  bricks, 
w^ith  the  angles  thus  taken  off,  joined  together,  leave  a  small 
dark  opening  which  throws  the  courses  into  relief  Occasion- 
ally, bricks  alternately  red  and  white  are  laid  edgeways,  so  as  to 
show  the  narrowest  face,  and  are  surmounted  by  black  bricks 
cut  to  an  angle  of  45°,  presenting  the  appearance  of  a  kind  of 
arcade,  etc.  The  joints  of  bricks  are  also  often  filled  with  a 
cement,  the  color  of  which  contrasts  with  them,  and  forms  a 
fresh  design.  The  sills  of  the  windows,  the  chimney-pots,  and 
the  spaces  above  the  doors,  being  carefully  studied  and  more 
richly  decorated  than  the  rest  of  the  building,  present  salient 
points  which  attract  attention. 

All  the  buildings,  whether  great  or  small,  are  formed  on  the 
model  of  French  architecture  of  the  Middle  Ages,  adapted  to 
modern  requirements  with  a  remarkable  skill  and  a  care  which 
are  the  result  of  long  and  patient  study.  We  do  not  move  for  a 
moment  from  the  window  of  our  carriage,  being  anxious  to  lose 
nothing  of  what  is  passing  before  our  eyes.  As  we  approach 
Hanover,  where  the  Gothic  style  has  so  remarkably  flourished 
during  our  own  times,  we  begin  to  believe  that  the  marvels  that 
have  been  promised  to  us  will  not  prove  illusory,  and  will  not 
prepare  for  us,  as  is  usually  the  case  under  similar  circumstan- 
ces, a  bitter  deception. 

We  reach  the  station.  The  public  crowd  on  the  platform,  for 
they  have  free  access  to  receive  the  friends  who  are  arriving, 
and  to  bid  adieu  to  those  who  are  going.  The  waiting-rooms  of 
all  classes  have  refreshment-rooms,  which  you  can  enter  or  quit 
as  you  please.     There  are  long  sofas  by  the  side  of  the  walls. 


166  GERMANY. 


with  tables  before  them,  on  which  to  place  parcels,  —  advantages 
reserved  in  our  equal  republic  for  the  passengers  of  the  first  class 
only.  The  offices  are  ojjen  to  the  platform ;  immense  maps 
cover  the  walls.  The  foreigner,  if  he  finds  any  difficulty  in 
making  himself  understood,  can  point  out  the  place  whither  he 
wishes  to  go.  By  looking  at  these  maps  during  the  long  hours 
he  has  to  wait,  even  an  ignorant  man  would  at  last  receive  into 
his  mind  certain  configurations,  certain  traces  which  are  thus 
unconsciously  imprinted  on  his  memory,  and  which  may  recur 
to  his  recollection  at  a  time  when  he  may  need  them.  An- 
nouncements in  English,  French,  and  German  show  the  travel- 
ler the  du'ection  in  which  the  trains  pass.  AVhile  he  has  to 
watch  over  his  own  personal  safety,  it  is  not  easy  for  him  to 
ascertain  which  way  he  should  go,  while  trains  passing  in  difier- 
ent  directions  are  crossing  each  other.  Happily  an  attendant 
came  to  our  assistance,  and  almost  immediately  we  found  our 
way  into  the  city. 

The  impression  made  by  our  first  walk  through  the  streets  of 
Hanover  is  still  present  to  our  mind.  Xight  was  coming  on, 
and  the  lars^e  buildino-s  and  houses  on  each  side  of  the  wide 
streets  through  which  we  passed  assumed  a  fantastic  aspect, 
which  carried  us  back  to  another  epoch,  and  made  us  dream  of 
other  ages ;  so  that  the  morrow,  which  was  to  transform  the  illu- 
sion into  reality,  seemed  very  slow  in  coming. 


HANOVER.  167 


HANOVER. 


I. 


GENERAL  APPEARANCE.  —  NEW  STREETS.— THE  OLD  TOWN.— THE  RATHAUS.— 
THE  MARKT-KIRCHE.— THE  RESIDENZ-SCHLOSS.  —  THE  OPERA-HOUSE.  —  THE 
GYMNASIUM.  — THE  SYNAGOGUE.  —  THE  SCHOOLS. 


THERE  is  no  European  city  whicli  has  been  remodelled  dur- 
ing the  present  era,  according  to  a  decided  and  well-deter- 
mined style  of  architecture,  and  in  which  the  public  buildings 
stand  in  due  relation  to  the  private  dwellings,  where  we  do  not 
find  Gothic  churches  by  the  side  of  Grecian  palaces,  placed  in 
the  midst  of  houses  of  the  Renaissance.  ^lunich  contains,  in 
the  works  carried  on  by  King  Louis,  only  copies  of  buildings  of 
every  age,  of  all  countries,  and  every  style  of  architecture,  with- 
out any  connection  between  them ;  it  is  a  museum  of  copies. 
St.  Petersburg,  Vienna,  Geneva,  and  many  other  towns,  have 
lately  done  nothing  but  reproduce  Parisian  buildings,  which  are 
not  very  remarkable  for  their  homogeneity,  or  the  expression  of 
a  unique  idea  or  a  dominant  principle. 

Hanover,  for  some  reason  which  we  can  neither  ascertain  nor 
understand,  has  given  birth  to  a  school  of  learned  architects  who 
have  pursued  their  studies  at  home  and  abroad,  more  especially 
in  France,  as  we  may  say  without  an  affectation  of  false  mod- 
esty. The  works  of  this  school  are  already  numerous  and  im- 
portant. We  can  recognize  and  follow  step  by  step,  in  the 
modern  structures  in  Hanover,  the  manner  in  which  they  first 
felt  their  way,  the  progress  attained  by  slow  degrees,  and  their 


168  GERMANY. 


influence  in  the  former  kingdom  of  Hanover,  afterwards  extended 
to  many  cities  in  the  German  Empire. 

The  first  step  in  these  attempts  was  the  study  of  the  old 
buildings,  —  types  that  remained  of  the  architecture  of  a  former 
age  and  of  another  country,  transplanted  to  this  foreign  soil. 
This  architecture,  which,  properly  speaking,  does  not  belong  to 
Germany,  was  inspired  by  Ehenish  buildings,  and  the  examples 
of  our  old  French  architecture  of  the  Middle  Ages. 

The  Germans,  ^vho  have  schools  of  literature  and  music  of 
their  own,  have  none  of  painting  or  of  architecture.  They  have 
no  national  architecture;  and  w^e  see  this  great  German  race 
borrowing  from  the  Latins,  the  Slaves,  and  the  Saxons,  who  are 
on  their  frontiers,  the  form  and  construction  w^hich  are  to  be 
seen  in  their  private  and  public  edifices. 

For  this  reason  we  cannot  discover  in  Germany  a  gradual 
development  of  artistic  facts,  a  relation  between  the  various 
buildings,  or  that  regular  gradation  which  they  display  every- 
where else.  The  transitions  are  sudden ;  or,  rather,  there  is  no 
transition  between  the  various  periods  and  the  different  styles. 
They  received  the  Gothic  in  its  completeness,  they  applied  it 
without  effort  or  study;  all  at  once,  without  passing  through  our 
Eenaissance,  they  advanced  from  Gothic  to  Eococo,  —  and  what 
Eococo  it  is  !  When  we  built  Versailles,  they  constructed  their 
palaces  at  Berlin  and  Vienna.  They  have  never  originated  any- 
thing, and  have  always  copied ;  but  we  cannot  but  acknowledge 
one  merit  which  they  possess :  that  they  have  known  well  how 
to  choose  their  models. 

The  same  thing  which  the  Germans  did  in  the  Middle  Ages 
and  at  the  period  of  the  Eenaissance  they  know  how  to  do  in 
the  nineteenth  century.  After  having  taken  as  their  examples 
the  Eoman  and  Gothic  buildings  of  the  Ehine  and  the  Ile-de- 
France ;  after  having  endeavored,  without  any  result,  to  compre- 
hend our  Eenaissance,  and  having  transformed  it  in  a  manner  so 
well  known,  the  Germans  have,  at  the  present  day,  entered  on 
the  path  which  archaeological  studies  and  labors  had  begun  to 


HANOVER.  169 


open  iu  France  thirty  years  ago ;  and  since  then  they  have  made 
such  rapid  advances  in  the  career  they  had  traced  out  for  them- 
selves, that  sometimes,  as  at  Hanover,  they  have  excelled  us. 

We  knew  what  to  expect  at  Hanover.  Drawings,  photo- 
graphs, descriptions,  had  prepared  us  beforehand  to  see  Gothic 
architecture^  valued  there  more  than  among  ourselves;  but  our 
expectations  were  exceeded,  and — a  thing  which  seldom  occurs — 
we  found  works  better-  planned  and  more  numerous  than  we 
anticipated. 

The  new  city  is  intersected  by  magnificent  avenues,  the  prin- 
cipal of  which  —  Schiller-strasse,  George-strasse,  and  Eisenbahn- 
strasse — are  nearly  100  feet  in  width.  These  roads  are,  in  their 
whole  extent,  bordered  by  modern  buildings,  almost  always  in 
the  most  original  and  varied  style.  Not  one  of  these  houses 
resembles  the  adjoining  one ;  each  has  its  own  peculiar  form,  its 
distinctive  aspect.  The  proportions  are  not  always  agreeable; 
the  details  show  somewhat  of  pretension  and  research,  but  the 
entire  effect  is  pleasing ;  it  excites  and  retains  the  attention. 

We  lingered  long  over  our  first  walk.  We  were  never  tired 
of  gazing  at  the  facades  of  public  buildings,  or  of  private  houses 
of  brick  or  of  stone,  on  which  were  to  be  seen  bold  projections 
formed  by  loggias,  covered  balconies,  veritable  moucharahjs 
surmounted  by  extraordinary  gables.  We  glance  cautiously 
through  an  open  window,  at  some  drawing-room  on  the  ground- 
floor,  some  half-hidden  interior,  thus  preparing  in  our  own 
mind  a  plan  for  a  visit  and  examination  which  promise  such 
attractive  studies,  so  fertile  in  information  and  satisfaction  of 
every  kind. 

It  is  not  so  easy  as  may  at  first  be  thought  to  find  one's  way 
in  the  midst  of  buildings  so  varied,  but  between  which  there  is 
such  a  family  likeness,  that  some  time  is  required  to  arrange 
and  classify  them  thoroughly.     Nevertheless,  we  were  not  long 

1  We  employ  the  word  Gothic  to  describe  the  architecture  derived  from  the 
recollections  of  the  Middle  Ages  in  France,  because  we  have  no  other  which  we 


170  GERMANY 


in  conquering  this  difficulty.  A  little  observation  alone  suf- 
ficed, and  it  soon  became  easy  to  ascertain  our  bearings. 

AVe  soon  beo-in  to  make  certain  classifications  and  remarks, 
the  result  of  whicli  serves  to  show  how  much  care  and  study 
have  been  devoted  by  the  authorities  of  Hanover  to  the  task  of 
constructing  the  new  quarters  of  the  city.  Xothing  has  been 
left  to  caprice  or  chance;  and  yet  it  is  easy  to  see  that  the 
greatest  liberty  of  action  has  been  allowed  to  the  skill  and  the 
individual  tastes  of  the  architects  to  whom  was  intrusted  the 
duty  of  carrying  out  the  plan. 

One  of  the  most  important  questions  to  be  solved  in  a  new 
city,  when  once  the  general  outline  is  adopted  and  the  plan  laid 
down,i  is  the  study  of  the  angles  formed  by  the  meeting  of  two 
streets.  In  certain  towns— as  at  Turin,  for  example,  which  is  the 
perfect  image  of  a  draught-board  —  no  particular  arrangement  is 
necessary.  In  Paris  we  see  the  houses  at  important  angles, 
such  as  those  which  are  at  two  cross-roads,  distinguished  from 
the  rest  by  a  special  combination.  Unfortunately,  all  the  houses 
constructed  under  these  conditions  resemble  each  other  so 
strongly,  that  it  is  not  always  easy  to  recognize  them  a  second 
time. 

At  Hanover  the  houses  at  the  corners  of  a  cross-road,  or  those 
fronting  a  square,  are  treated  differently,  according  to  the  form 
of  the  site  on  which  they  are  built,  and  the  effect  of  perspective 
which  they  are  intended  to  produce.  "When  the  disposition  of 
the  public  road  leaves  a  large  vacant  space  before  the  building, 
the  facade  of  such  a  house  is  treated  otherwise  than  if  it  were 
built  in  a  narrow  road;  and  as,  in  spite  of  the  width  of  the 
streets,  the  buildings  which  form  them  are  relatively  low,  the 
system  of  ventilation  is  excellent.  On  a  public  promenade  or 
before  a  square  the  look-out  is  skilfully  arranged,  so  as  to  allow 
the  inhabitants  within  the  house  to  enjoy  the  prospect  without. 

1  In  order  to  discuss  the  plan  of  Hanover,  it  would  be  necessary  to  have  a 
knowledge  of  the  local  topography,  which  we  do  not  possess,  and  we  must  there- 
fore consider  this  plan  a  good  one  until  the  contrary  is  proved. 


HANOVER. 


171 


The  windows  have  then  a  special  form:  they  are  wider  and 
descend  lower,  and  bay-windows  are  thrown  out  to  enable  per- 
sons to  see  what  passes  on  every  side. 

A  few  sketches  will  illustrate  what  we  have  already  said,  and 
what  is  to  follow. 


Fig.  89.  —  A  Comer-house  in  Hanover. 

Pig.  89  represents  the  front  of  a  house,  by  Mons.  Oppler, 
architect,  built  at  the  corner  of  two  streets,  forming  an  acute 
angle  with  each  other ;  the  angular  point  is  occupied  by  a  bay- 
window  of  picturesque  appearance;   the  two  retreating  fronts 


172 


GERMANY. 


are  much  varied  in  their  outlines,  with  very  decided  projections ; 
their  principal  lines  being  also  broken  up  by  buttresses  and 
gables,  as  well  as  by  many  recessed  and  prominent  portions,  the 
whole'  from  a  front  view,  would  have  a  heavy  appearance,  but 
seen  sideways  it  is  foreshortened,  and  a  lighter  effect  is  pro- 
duced by  the  contrast  of  light  and  shade  which  soften  down  the 
details. 


•-'<*'y'^^g»^^;^:^-^^?^;2r^-^^^^ 


Fig.  90.  —  House  in  Hanover. 


At  an  obtuse  angle,  on  the  contrary,  as  in  Yig.  90,  the  fa(^ades 
are  thrown  forward,  and  may  be  taken  in  at  a  single  glance  ; 
there  would  be,  in  such  a  case,  some  fear  of  the  monotony  re- 
sulting from  a  long  line  of  similar  openings  ;  in  order  to  obviate 
this  inconvenience,  the  fa(^.ade  is  unequally  divided,  and  the 


HANOVER. 


173 


principal  part  projects  beyond  the  wings.  The  lower  lines 
extend  regularly  along  the  building,  passing  over  the  projecting 
portions,  and  thus  producing  a  good  eflect ;  while  in  the  wings 


Fig.  91.  —  View  of  a  House  in  a  Square. 


there  are  the  divisions  with  their  projections.  The  stories  vary 
in  height,  according  to  their  importance  and  the  part  which  they 
are  intended  to  play ;  and  in  the  thickness  of  the  walls  there 


17-i  -  GERMANY. 


are  recessed  balconies,  surmounted  by  large  arches,  which  extend 
over  the  windows  on  two  floors.  The  whole  is  very  subdued, 
and  does  not  aim  at  effect  so  much  as  the  preceding  example, 
where  the  attention  is  arrested  by  each  separate  point;  while 
here,  on  the  contrary,  the  mass  of  the  work  was  of  sufficient  im- 
portance to  make  it  necessary  to  divide  it,  so  as  to  allow  the 
spectator  easily  to  take  in  the  whole  effect  from  one  extremity 
to  the  other,  and,  by  means  of  breaks  and  intervals  skilfully 
interposed,  to  diminish  the  extent  on  which  the  eye  would  have 
to  rest. 

A  building  erected  in  a  square  (Fig.  91),  by  Mons.  Oppler, 
the  architect,  resembles  in  many  respects  the  preceding  struc- 
ture ;  but  with  this  difference,  that  the  principal  projection  is 
more  prominent,  and  assumes  the  proportions  of  an  important 
decoration.  The  wings  are  relatively  sacrificed  to  it,  and  throw 
into  relief  the  middle  of  the  building,  which  is  treated  in  a  more 
•elaborate  style,  and  differs  from  the  rest  both  in  form  and  the 
nature  of  materials.  It  is  evident  that  a  square,  surrounded  by 
buildings  with  such  outlines  as  these,  looks  brighter  and  more 
cheerful  than  if  the  houses  were  uniform  in  appearance  and 
height.  It  may  indeed  be  replied,  that  the  latter  plan  — 
adopted,  for  example,  in  our  Place  Vendome  and  Place  Ptoyale, 
etc.  —  gives  to  them,  according  to  academic  conventionalities,  a 
grander  and  more  monumental  aspect. 

When  a  house  is  to  be  erected  at  a  corner  formed  by  the  in- 
tersection of  two  or  more  cross-streets  of  secondary  importance, 
the  plan  adopted  is  less  rich,  but  the  result  obtained  is  always 
original,  picturesque,  and  remarkaljly  varied.  We  see  that  the 
architect  has  endeavored  to  produce  a  good  effect  with  regard  to 
perspective,  and  an  outline  which  is  striking  at  a  distance. 

Figs.  92  and  93  represent  a  small  corner-house  :  it  is  distin- 
guishable at  a  distance,  and  cannot  be  confounded  with  the 
neighboring  houses ;  the  angle,  being  cut  off*,  is  superseded  by 
a  plane  surface  supported  by  a  small  column,  rising  to  the  level 
of  the  ceiling  of  the  first  floor,  and  sustaining  the  balconies  of 


HANOVER. 


175 


Fig.  92.  —  Comer-house  in  Hanover, 


176  GERMANY 


the  upper  stories;  and  the  whole  arrangement  carries  out  au 
ingenious  idea,  the  conception  of  which  is  analogous  with  those 
to  which  we  have  already  alluded,  the  principal  aim  being  to 
attract  attention  to  one  special  point,  throwing  into  the  back- 
ground the  other  portions  of  the  frontage,  which  are  to  some 
extent  sacrificed. 

These  examples  are  only  intended  by  us  to  explain  the  prin- 
cipal combinations  adopted  in  the  fac^ades  of  Hanover.  As  to 
the  use  which  the  builder  has  made  of  the  materials  employed, 
and  the  arrangement  of  the  ground-plan,  these  are  questions 
which  will  occur  hereafter,  when  we  come  to  examine  the  in- 
terior of  these  dwelling-houses. 

AVe  will  merely  remark  here  that  the  houses  to  which  we 
have  just  alluded  are  built,  some  entirely  of  bricks,  and  others 
of  white  stone  and  brick ;  that  these  bricks  are  of  various  colors. 


Fig.  93.  —  Ground-plan. 

yellow,  red,  or  black ;  that  their  form  varies,  as  we  have  already 
shown ;  and  that,  according  to  the  manner  in  which  they  are 
employed,  they  are  well  adapted  to  imbricated  work  of  every 
kind,  thus  giving  to  the  facades  an  appearance  entirely  new  to 
us.  We  also  feel  assured  that  the  inhabitants  must  find  in  the 
interior  of  their  dwellings  an  enjoyment  as  great  as  the  exterior 
produces  on  the  passer-by.  We  can  easily  imagine  what  a 
charm  must  be  added  to  an  apartment  by  a  bay-window  filled 
with  flowers,  well  exposed  to  the  sun,  with  an  extensive  view, 
which  diffuses  animation  and  cheerfulness  over  the  whole  room. 
We  may  also  remark  that  these  are  not  peculiarly  luxurious 
houses  or  sumptuous  mansions,  but  lodging-houses,  intended  to 
be  used  by  several  lodgers ;  the  ground-floor  containing  shops, 
and  the  upper  stories  the  ordinary  apartments. 


HANOVER.  177 


The  new  streets  of  Hanover  are  usually  quiet,  and  the  crowd 
is  not  great.  They  possess  an  importance  not  in  keeping  with 
the  rest  of  the  city;  they  seem  to  have  been  built  on  too  grand 
a  scale.  It  is  true  that  when  Ernest  Augustus  undertook  the 
embellishment  and  enlargement  of  the  city,  Hanover  was  the 
capital  of  the  kingdom,  the  seat  of  government,  and  the  resi- 
dence of  the  Court,  and  that  no  one  could  foresee  that  some  day 
Prussia,  taking  possession  of  this  little  State,  would  constitute  it 
a  province  of  the  German  Empire. 

Hanover  is  an  ancient  city ;  it  j)ossessed  considerable  impor- 
tance even  in  the  twelfth  century.  In  1553  it  accepted  the 
Eeformation,  and  increased  rapidly  after  the  year  1763,  when 
George  III.  caused  the  surrounding  fortifications  to  be  demol- 
ished. In  1801  the  kingdom  lost  its  autonomy,  became  first  a 
Prussian  province,  then  a  French  department,  and  was  reconsti- 
tuted in  1817,  to  become  once  more  a  German  province  in  1866. 

The  old  city  has  preserved  the  characteristics  of  the  Middle 
Ages.  The  streets  are  dull,  narrow,  dark,  and  in  many  places 
there  are  still  wooden  houses  with  gigantic  gables,  the  height 
of  which  extends  to  five  stories. 

These  houses  (Fig.  94)  are  of  various  periods ;  some  as  old  as 
the  fourteenth  or  even  the  thirteenth  century.  These  are  the 
most  ancient :  the  different  stories  project  one  over  the  other, 
supported  by  small  wooden  corbels ;  the  intervals  between  the 
cross-beams  are  filled  in  with  earth  or  brick.  Other  houses, 
more  numerous,  date  only  from  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth 
centuries.  They  show  many  details  of  the  architecture  of  the 
Netherlands  united  with  those  of  the  style  called  by  the  Ger- 
mans the  German  Renaissance,  and  which  is,  in  fact,  only  a 
species  of  Rococo,  ugly  in  form  and  disagreeable  in  its  propor- 
tions. This  kind  of  architecture  has  for  its  distinctive  charac- 
teristic swollen  balustrades  and  columns,  pinnacles  wider  at  the 
top  than  at  the  base,  and  also  (but  this  is  an  advantage)  pro- 
jecting loggias,  a  kind  of  bay-window  extending  down  several 
stories,  a  modified  form  of  which  we  have  already  found  and 
noticed  in  the  modern  buildinos  of  this  citv. 


178 


GERMANY. 


The  Germans  are  eminently  a  conservative  people;   this  is 
one  of  the  fundamental  qualities  of  their  character.     Ko  Euro- 


fcCii'- 


veu^sijc^sii^uz- 


Fig.  94. —House  with  ancient  Gables  in  a  Street  in  Hanover. 

pean  nation  —  for  the  Dutch  are  decidedly  of  German  origin  — 
has  taken  more  care  to  preserve  the  public  buildings  and  works 


HANOVER. 


179 


of  art  which  it  possesses.  We  do  not  meet  in  Germany  with 
those  zealous  authorities  who  demolish  an  edifice  in  order  to 
collect  portions  of  it  in  a  museum.  On  the  contrary,  the  council 
of  a  town  or  commune  will,  on  all  occasions,  take  every  precau- 
tion most  lovingly  to  protect  the  ruins  which  they  possess,  and 


Fig.  95. — The  Rathaiis,  Hanover. 

adorn  them  so  as  to  render  them  more  pleasing,  restoring  them 
as  far  as  possible,  and  always  preserving  them.  The  smallest 
public  building  is  brought  under  our  notice,  the  most  modest 
gallery  of  paintings  exhibited  so  as  to  attract  attention  and  to 
acquire  celebrity.     If  there  is  any  remarkable  work  of  art  in  an 


180  GERMANY. 


unimportant  town,  public  notice  is  given  of  it,  and  as  soon  as 
the  traveller  leaves  liis  railway-carriage  he  is  made  aware  of 
what  there  is  to  excite  his  curiosity,  and  by  what  means  it  may 
be  gratified.  We  ought,  indeed,  in  some  cases,  to  distrust  the 
enthusiasm  which  has  its  source  in  so  good  a  motive,  but  which 
too  often  ends  in  deception. 

Disappointments  of  this  kind  await  the  traveller  who  expects 
to  find  in  the  Eathaus  or  the  Markt-Kirche,  at  Hanover,  build- 
ings worthy  of  his  attention. 

The  Eathaus  (town  hall),  Fig.  95,  is  a  large  building  detached 
on  three  sides,  of  grotesque  appearance,  and  dwarfed  by  an  enor- 
mous roof.  The  first  floor  is  irregularly  pierced  by  windows  of 
various  dimensions  ;  the  upper  cornice  is  no  longer  in  its  original 
form ;  dormer  windows,  of  late  construction,  occupy  the  places 
of  gables  like  those  in  the  principal  front,  and  change  the  origi- 
nal proportions  of  the  roof. 

The  gables  at  the  end  of  the  building,  which  are  very  pointed, 
are  composed  of  five  rows  of  square  brick  pillars,  which  present 
to  the  view,  not  one  of  their  flat  sides,  but  an  angle ;  the  inter- 
vals are  filled  with  masonry  work  in  very  thin  bricks,  so  as  to 
allow  the  angles  of  the  pillars  to  project  boldly  from  the  front; 
between  each  of  these  pillars  there  is  a  narrow  opening.  This 
remarkable  feature,  almost  entirely  detached  from  the  mass  of 
the  building,  gives  a  striking  but  not  very  attractive  appearance 
to  the  whole.  On  the  oround-floor,  and  coverinf^  the  outside 
steps,  there  is  a  porch  with  a  square  balcony,  built  at  a  much 
later  period  than  that  of  the  rest  of  the  Eathaiis,  in  the  archi- 
tectural style  of  that  German  Eenaissance  of  which  we  have  so 
often  spoken.  This  does  not  produce  a  pleasing  effect,  either  in 
its  entirety  or  its  details. 

In  the  whole  of  this  building  the  proportions  are  very  defec- 
tive. The  openings  and  the  solid  parts  are  badly  arranged ;  the 
projections  are  too  pronounced,  the  outline  is  therefore  hard  and 
exaggerated,  and  our  French  taste  does  not  readily  accept  the 
excessive  means  employed  under  the  gray  sky  of  the  Xorth  to 


HANOVER.  181 


produce  the  effect  which  the  warm  light  of  the  Southern  sun 
gives  so  readily  elsewhere.  As  to  details,  they  are  but  few ; 
those  which  we  find  are  reminiscences  of  other  models,  and  often 
badly  placed. 

Near  the  Rathalis  stands  a  modern  building  which  serves  as 
a  butchers'  market,  the  details  of  which  are  somewhat  interest- 
ing, since  they  evince  care  in  the  plan  on  which  it  has  been 
erected.  The  hooks  on  which  the  animals  are  hung^,  the  stalls 
of  the  dealers,  the  beams  of  the  wooden  ceiling,  the  decoration 
of  the  walls,  have  not  the  usual  commonplace  forms  and  colors ; 
but  the  whole  plan  has  been  well  traced  and  reasoned  out,  and 
all  is  truly  Gothic. 

On  the  market  square  stands  the  Church  of  St.  George,  the 
only  ancient  ecclesiastical  edifice  in  Hanover  which  is  interest- 
ing (Figs.  96  and  97),  and  in  w^hich  we  find  the  union  of  the  two 
distinctive  characters  of  the  churches  of  the  Middle  Ages  in 
Westphalia,  the  vaults  of  the  side  aisles  raised  to  the  same 
height  as  that  of  the  nave,  and  the  columns  without  sculptured 
capitals.  The  interior  contains  painted  glass  windows  of  Middle- 
Age  workmanship,  wdiich,  although  they  do  not  equal  those  of 
our  fine  French  cathedrals,  are,  in  some  parts,  admirable  both  in 
color  and  design.  They  have  been  recently  restored  with  much 
care  and  good  taste.  These  Germans  can  neither  destroy  nor 
create,  but  still  they  know  how  to  preserve  most  admirably ; 
while  to  demolish,  or  to  replace  an  old  thing  by  a  new  one,  is 
opposed  to  their  nature.  There  was,  in  a  corner  of  this  church, 
a  plumber  occupied  in  repairing  the  narrow^  leads  of  a  glass 
window  wdiich  had  just  been  taken  down.  He  proceeded  leis- 
urely with  his  work,  making  his  repairs  w4th  great  care,  meas- 
uring slowly  on  a  rule  pieces  of  lead  an  inch  and  a  half  in  length  ; 
and  he  took  delight  in  this  monotonous  and  tedious  occupation. 
A  French  w^orkman  would  soon  have  cast  aside  all  these  morsels; 
his  master  would  have  preferred  that  he  should  use  "  new  stuff"  ; 
but  the  Germans  are  patient  and  thrifty;  they  bear,  without 
any  inconvenience,  the  monotonous  labor  imposed  upon  them. 


182  GERMANY. 


Being  economical,  they  never  go  to  any  useless  expense.  It 
never  comes  into  their  minds  to  employ  a  new  thing  when  the 
old  one  can  be  utilized.^ 

A  guard-house  with  Doric  columns,  which  reminds  us  of  the 
old  harriers  in  Paris,  indicates  from  a  distance  the  Eesidens- 
Schloss  (the  royal  residence).  We  passed  before  a  line  of  sol- 
diers.    In  a  corner  there  was  a  little,  low,  and  narrow  door,  and, 


Fig.  96.  —  Ground-plan  of  St.  George's  Churcli,  Hanover. 

after  many  formalities  required  by  a  disobliging  porter,  we  were 
left  to  the  care  of  a  guide,  who  went  with  us  across  a  dismal 
and  solitary  court.  There  was  no  noise,  no  other  movement 
than  that  of  the  monotonous  and  regular  steps  of  the  sentinels ; 
one  would  think  that  it  was  a  prison  rather  than  a  palace.  The 
pavements  are  damp,  and  grass  grows  among  the  chinks;  it 
seems  as  if  life  and  animation  had  disappeared  forever  from  the 

1  The  Germans  cairy  the  principles  of  conservatism  to  such  an  extent,  that 
they  have  not  yet  removed  from  the  uniform  of  their  soldiers  the  three  buttons 
which  Frederick  the  Great  caused  to  be  sewn  on  the  sleeves  of  his  gi'enadiers,  to 
prevent  their  making  use  of  them  instead  of  pocket-handkerchiefs. 


HANOVEE. 


183 


place.  Its  masters  are  gone,  and  the  latest  resident,  blind  and 
in  exile,  is  spending  his  life  with  his  daughter  sadly  and  far 
from  his  country. 


Fig.  97.  — View  of  the  Churcli  of  St.  George  and  its  Surrotindiiigs  at  Hanover. 

Our  guide  was  able  to  read  our  name  and  that  of  our  country 
inscribed  in  the  register.  After  having  led  us  through  the  porch, 
he  began  his  description  in  French,  very  good  French;  and, 
noticing  our  astonished  looks,  he  said,  with  an  expression  that 
cannot  be  described,  "  I  am  from  Metz."     There  was  a  profound 


184  GEKMANY. 


sadness  in  Lis  voice,  and  this  short  phrase  showed  in  its  utter- 
ance such  great  grief,  —  it  was  so  eloquent  in  its  brevity,  —  that 
we  dared  not  ask  him,  though  we  could  easily  guess,  what  were 
the  circumstances  w^hich  had  thus  driven  him  from  his  country. 
'We  held  out  our  hands,  and  wrung  his  in  silence.  What  a  sad 
similarity  between  the  destinies  of  the  King  and  this  simple 
citizen,  two  beings  placed  at  so  great  a  distance  from  each  other 
in  the  social  scale,  and  on  whom  the  same  hand  had  inflicted 
the  same  misfortune !  The  one  driven  from  France,  deprived 
of  his  cottage,  finds  an  asylum  in  Hanover;-  the  other,  deposed 
from  his  kingdom,  driven  from  Hanover,  takes  refuge  in  France. 

The  royal  palace  is  a  princely  residence,  furnished  luxuriously. 
The  facades  have  no  distinguishing  characters,  but  we  were 
struck  with  the  interior ;  first  with  the  floor,  and  then  w^ith  the 
decoration  of  one  of  the  apartments,  and  this  neither  the  largest 
nor  the  most  elegant. 

The  floors,  constructed  of  wood  of  various  kinds,  are  covered 
with  inlaid  work,  forming  arabesques  and  geometrical  designs, 
sometimes  even  representing  bunches  of  flowers  or  human  figures. 
This  marqueterie,  executed  with  as  much  care  as  in  minute  arti- 
cles of  Parisian  workmanship,  shows  a  finish  and  perfection  not 
easily  attained,  both  as  regards  composition  and  execution.  "VVe 
must,  however,  add,  that  in  some  parts  the  more  difficult  scroll 
patterns  are  traced  by  means  of  colored  cement  let  into  the 
wood,  thus  allowing  the  artist  to  obtain  effects  more  agreeable 
and  more  uniform  than  those  that  could  be  produced  by  inlaid 
wood  alone ;  but  these  artifices  are  too  rare  to  diminish  the  merit 
of  the  whole  work.  The  room,  the  decoration  of  which  struck 
us  most,  is  of  moderate  dimensions,  and  we  have  forgotten  its 
precise  destination.  The  walls  are  painted  with  trellis-work, 
between  the  irregular  lozenges  of  which  are  interlaced  vine- 
branches  and  flowers ;  the  ground  is  of  a  milky-white  tint,  and 
through  the  intersections  pass  garlands  of  flowers  and  leaves; 
the  tones  of  color  are  but  slightly  varied,  —  red,  yellow,  green, 
blue,  all  clear  and  fresh.     The  drawing  is  exquisite,  and  with  a 


HANOVER.  185 


truly  astonishing  richness  of  imagination  on  the  part  of  the  artist, 
notwithstanding  so  great  a  number  of  objects  of  the  same  nature 
and  the  same  kind,  not  one  resembles  another;  each  has  its 
special  form  by  which  it  is  distinguished,  —  its  physiognomy,  if 
we  may  so  call  it.  These  paintings  have  not  the  usual  error  of 
ordinary  decorations  in  imitating  conventional  lights  and  shadows, 
—  a  deception  w^hich  is  modified  by  the  time  of  day,  and  the 
effect  of  which  is  not  the  same  in  the  daytime  as  by  candle- 
light. The  subjects  are  painted  without  the  help  of  light  and 
shade,  and  the  effect  is  produced  only  by  the  contour  of  the 
forms  and  the  purity  of  design. 

The  royal  palace  contains  several  other  apartments  remarkable 
for  many  reasons,  but  which  unfortunately  resemble  those  of  all 
possible  palaces.  One  of  these,  the  Silher  Kammcr,  formerly 
contained  about  twenty  tons'  weight  of  silver  plate,  which  may 
now  perhaps  be  seen  at  Berlin.  Another,  a  kind  of  long  gallery, 
in  imitation  of  the  "  Galerie  des  Glaces  "  at  Versailles,  looks  out 
on  the  valley  of  the  Leine,  and  gives  a  distant  prospect  of  smil- 
ing meadows,  a  sweet  and  animated  landscape,  varied  with  copses 
on  the  hills,  at  the  foot  of  which  are  situated  the  dwellings  of 
Montbrillant  and  Herrenhausen.  In  this  room  there  are  several 
pictures  remarkable  for  many  reasons,  and  among  others  the 
portrait  of  Duke  George  Louis,  before  which  the  courtiers  used 
to  bow  every  Sunday  when  this  prince  had  quitted  Hanover 
in  1714  to  occupy  the  throne  of  England  under  the  title  of 
George  I. 

As  we  returned  into  the  new  town,  w^e  perceived  at  the  end 
of  a  large  square,  ornamented  with  plantations  of  trees,  a  vast 
edifice,  which  at  first  sioht  seemed  larojer  than  it  really  is.  This 
is  the  new  opera-house,  opened  in  1854.  We  know  not  why 
this  building,  a  specimen  of  Italian  architecture,  has  been  erected 
in  the  midst  of  this  new  Gothic  city,  and  we  were  not  able  to 
ascertain  the  reason ;  but  the  opera-house  at  Hanover,  such  as  it 
is,  deserves  a  visit  (Figs.  98  and  99).  The  carriage  entrance  is 
a  covered  space  under  a  porch  wide  enough  to  allow  two  car- 


186 


GERMANY. 


riages  to  pass  each  other  without  inconveuience ;  visitors  on  foot 
enter  by  two  side  doors,  which  are  reserved  for  them,  and  they 
thus  escape  any  danger  from  the  horses  or  the  wheels;  after- 
wards those  who  come  either  on  foot  or  in  carriages  meet  in  the 
vestibule  in  front  of  the  ticket-office.     To  the  right  and  left,  two 


Fig.  98. 


■The  Opera-house,  Hanover. 


winding  staircases,  the  steps  of  which  are  more  than  six  feet 
wide,  lead  to  the  floor  containing  the  first  tier  of  boxes ;  second- 
ary staircases  lead  to  the  second,  third,  and  fourth  tiers. 

Each  tier  contains  twenty-two  boxes,  and,  besides,  there  are 
the  stage  boxes,  and  the  grand  royal  box,  which,  as  in  the  Italian 
theatres,  occupies  the  centre  of  the  house  and  the  height  of  two 


HANOVEK.  187 


tiers.  The  King  had  also  a  private  stage  box  allotted  to  him ; 
he  reached  it  by  a  special  staircase  leading  from  an  inner  court- 
yard, where  the  escort  and  the  carriages  were  stationed.  The 
"  foyer  "  is  on  the  first  floor.  It  opens  on  a  terrace,  which,  dur- 
ing summer  evenings,  forms  an  agreeable  promenade  for  the 
spectators.  To  this  foyer  is  attached  an  immense  refreshment- 
stall,  —  an  indispensable  accessory  to  all  places  of  public  resort 
in  Germany. 

The  interior  of  a  theatre,  seen  by  daylight,  and  between  the 
hours  of  representation  or  rehearsal,  has  always  a  fantastic, 
strange,  disquieting  look.  The  body  of  the  house,  plunged  in 
silence  and  obscurity,  seems  sombre,  dark,  and  frightful ;  there 
is  nothing  there  but  emptiness  and  solitude.  A  human  figure 
wandering  in  the  midst  of  this  darkness  reminds  one  of  a  ghost. 
The  stage,  only  lighted  by  a  few  attic  windows  in  the  roof,  which 
give  but  a  pale  and  dull  light,  assumes  grotesque,  incomprehen- 
sible proportions ;  the  decorations,  seen  out  of  the  proper  point 
of  view,  show  strange  outlines  without  any  intelligible  significa- 
tion ;  the  side  wings,  brought  close  to  each  other  against  all  the 
rules  of  perspective,  look  like  a  shapeless,  incongruous,  and 
falsely  colored  assemblage  of  palaces,  churches,  ruins,  houses, 
gardens,  and  forests.  The  mind  cannot  take  in  the  meaning  of 
this  mass  of  objects :  the  ropes,  pulleys,  ladders,  the  accessories 
and  decorations  piled  up  everywhere,  heaped  together  without 
order  or  symmetry,  or  strangely  hung  one  over  the  other,  seem 
as  if  in  an  inextricable  confusion,  in  which  it  appears  as  if  it 
would  be  impossible  to  find  at  the  time  of  representation  any- 
thing necessary  for  use  at  the  proper  moment.  Sometimes  a 
sudden  noise,  without  any  apparent  cause,  is  heard  in  the  roof; 
it  resounds,  awakening  the  echoes  of  the  vast  space,  and  makes 
us  shudder  involuntarily.  A  beam  cracks,  —  the  acoustic  effect 
gives  us  an  idea  that  the  whole  building  is  about  to  fall.  A  cat 
utters  a  loud  mew,  and  it  seems  as  if  all  the  fantastic  animals 
which  people  the  cardboard  menagerie  start  at  once  into  life  and 
motion.     The  imagination  is  strongly  and  strangely  moved  by 


188  GERMANY, 


the  scene.  We  were  in  this  excited  state,  when  suddenly,  from 
the  royal  box,  came  a  full,  youthful,  vibrating  voice,  —  that  of  a 
woman ;  an  Italian  voice,  whose  accents  fiUed  the  whole  house. 
She  was  singing  that  grand  morccaii  from  the  first  act  of  the 
Traviata : 

"Tutta  sola  perduta  in  questo  deserto." 

Poor  girl !  She  had  left  her  bright  sunshine,  her  cheerful  and 
gay  fellow-countrymen  so  easily  pleased,  for  this  gloomy  and 
cold  sky,  these  heavy  duU  people,  who  come  and  listen  to  her 
as  they  digest  their  saner-kraut.  But  what  a  pleasure  it  was 
to  us  to  hear  instead  of  rude  German  accents  the  soft  and  win- 
ning intonations  of  the  sweet  language  of  Italy ! 

Then  silence  returned,  more  entire  and  deep  than  before. 
This  song  had  in  a  moment  transported  us  far  away,  calling 
up  such  a  crowd  of  recollections  as  the  slightest  incident  is 
able  sometimes  to  evoke,  and  over  which  perhaps  it  is  weU 
not  to  linger. 

Let  us  return  to  our  visit  to  the  opera-house.  Besides  the 
theatre,  properly  so  called,  there  is  a  concert-room  containing 
430  square  yards.  The  principal  entrance  is  through  the  foyer. 
Being  lighted  by  windows  on  both  sides,  this  hall  serves  also 
for  meetings  in  the  daytime.  The  opposite  wing  contains  the 
rehearsal-room,  three  rooms  for  the  practice  of  the  ballet-corps, 
and  of  the  musicians  and  dramatic  artists,  with  rooms  open  to 
the  air  in  order  to  isolate  them  from  the  rest  of  the  building 
and  to  avoid  noise ;  and  then,  at  the  back  of  the  stage,  the 
various  offices  and  accessory  rooms,  the  wardrobe,  and  the  dress- 
ing and  retiring  rooms  for  the  actors. 

This  building,  as  we  have  said,  is  entirely  detached,  and 
placed  at  the  highest  part  of  a  large  open  space.  This  position 
gives  it  importance,  and  it  appears  higher  and  more  elegant 
than  it  really  is. 

Its  facades  (Fig.  98)  have,  on  the  whole,  a  grand  appearance. 
The  details  are  wanting  in  originality,  but  are  very  simple  and 
kept  under  due  restraint.     The  proportion  of  the  various  stories. 


HANOVER. 


189 


and  their  dimensious  when  compared  with  the  main  body  of 
the  building,  as  seen  from  without,  are  too  uniform.  There  is 
also  another  more  serious  defect.  This  building  —  the  idea  of 
which  has  been  derived  from  an  architectural  style  belonging 
to  another  country,  under  a  climate  less  rigorous  than  that  of 
the  north  —  has  the  great  disadvantage  of  having  roofs  formed 


Fig.  99.  —  Ground-plan  of  Opera-house,  Hanover. 


into  terraces  —  a  deplorable  condition  in  a  damp  country  under 
a  dull  and  cold  sky ;  and,  although  it  is  only  twenty  years  old, 
it  already  shows  traces  of  deterioration,  which  will  only  be 
aggravated  by  time. 

We  noticed  on  our  way  home  a  curious  structure,  which 
presents  a  striking  contrast  to  the  opera-house.  This  is  the 
Gymnasium,  built  by  Messrs.   Schulz  and  Havers,  architects. 


190 


GERMANY. 


The  principal  portion  of  the  building  fronts  the  public  road 
(Fig.  100) ;  it  includes  one  story  above  the  ground-Hoor,  which, 
being  dwarfed  and  low,  gives  the  upper  part  greater  importance. 
The  ornamental  portion,  placed  over  the  entrance-door,  is  some- 


Fig.  100.  —The  Gymnasium,  Hanover. 


what  complicated,  but  is  ingeniously  arranged.  There  are  many 
details  in  which  the  German  taste  has  endeavored  to  represent, 
after  its  manner,  Gothic  ideas.  The  effect  produced  is  original, 
since  it  shows  so  plainly  its  origin  and  the  transition  from  the 
hea^T,  harsh  forms  of  Teutonic  Gothic  to  the  new  proportions ; 


HANOVER, 


191 


not,  indeed,  invented  by  the  Germans,  but  so  well  adapted  and 
applied  by  them.  There  is,  however,  a  redundancy  of  ornament 
and  a  want  of  simplicity  in  the  whole  conception;  thus  the 


Fig.  101.  —  Ground-plan  of  Gymnasium  at  Hanover. 


1.  Hall. 

2.  Men's  dressing-room. 

3.  AVashing-room. 

4.  Room  for  apparatus. 


Office. 

Attendants'  rooms. 
Gymnasium. 


principal  projection  does  not  correspond  well  with  the  side 
portions,  so  that  instead  of  a  homogeneous  whole  w^e  have  two 
distinct  things  having  no  relation  to  each  other. 


192 


GERMANY. 


The  ground-plan  (Fig.  101)  is  anything  but  academical.  In 
the  principal  building  we  find  on  the  ground-floor  a  vestibule, 
a  kind  of  English  hall,  enclosing  on  the  left  the  staircase,  the 
dressing  and  washing  rooms  for  men;  on  the  right  the  office 
and  the  apartments  for  the  attendant,  with  a  sitting-room  for 
the  professors.  On  the  first  floor  (Fig.  102)  there  is  a  separate 
gymnasium  for  the  exercises  of  women  and  sick  persons  under 
special  treatment,  and  opposite  to  this  is  the  women's  dressing- 
room.  One  of  the  apartments  also  serves  as  a  dancing-room. 
In  the  building  at  the  back  of  the  first  floor  is  placed  the  large 


-t 


-~i 


w  t9  m 


0  5  'M  20  M% 

Fig.  102.  —  Plan  of  the  First  Floor,  Gymnasium,  Hanover. 

1.    Gymnasium  for  women.  |  2.    "Women's  dressing-room. 

hall  for  gymnastic  exercises  (106  feet  in  length,  by  72  in 
breadth).  It  is  divided  into  eight  compartments,  each  about 
13  feet  wide,  with  the  exception  of  the  last  two,  which  are  only 
about  6  feet  6  inches,  and  on  which  rests  a  gallery,  approached 
by  a  staircase  from  the  ground-floor.  This  hall  is  covered  by 
a  unique  roof,  the  timber-work  of  which  is  as  curious  as  we 
have  ever  seen  (Fig.  103). 

From  isolated  stone  pillars,  only  9  feet  10  inches  high,  spring 
arches  which  separate  the  nave  from  the  side  aisles.  These 
very  narrow  side  portions,  being  only  4  feet  3  inches  in  breadth, 
have  a  cylindrical  vault  turned  over  them,  while  a  lower  arch 


HANOVER. 


193 


connects  the  isolated  pillar  with  the  outside  wall,  which  is  only 
about  1  foot  8  inches  in  thickness,  hut  is  supported  by  but- 
tresses. The  construction,  up  to  this  point,  is  precisely  similar 
to  that  adopted  in  certain  French  churches  of  the  Middle  Ages ; 
for  instance,  La  Souterraine,  in  the  department  of  Creuse.  But, 
beyond  the  nave,  the  resemblance  between  these  buildings  dis- 
appears ;  for,  instead  of  a  stone  roof  like  that  which  covers  the 


Fig.  103.  —  Section  and  View  of  Roof  of  Gymnasium. 


French  building,  an  uncovered  timber  roof,  of  a  special  construc- 
tion, has  been  erected  over  the  German  edifice. 

The  top  of  the  pillars  is  about  9  feet  10  inches  above  the 
ground,  as  we  have  already  said,  while  the  height  of  the  ridge- 
piece  is  54  feet,  and  the  distance  of  the  opposite  pillars  from 
each  other  is  59  feet.  The  erection  of  a  timber  roof  of  these 
dimensions,  without  any  intermediate  support,  presented  great 
difficulties,  which  the  Hanoverian  architects  have  surmounted 


194  GERMANY. 


in  a  most  intelligent  manner.  On  the  top  of  the  walls  they 
have  placed  a  hammer-beam,  supported  by  a  brace,  which  forms 
a  right-angled  triangle  with  the  wall  and  the  under  part  of  the 
beam.  Above  this  hammer-beam  the  same  triangle  is  repeated 
by  a  vertical  bearer  supporting  the  principal  rafter;  the  brace 
of  the  lower  triangle,  prolonged  so  as  to  meet  the  king-post, 
forms  with  the  principal  rafter  a  system  which  the  triangles, 
firmly  braced  together,  render  rigid  and  unyielding.  Above  the 
lower  hammer-beam  a  boarded  vault  has  been  constructed  on  an 
arch  occupying  the  space  between  the  principal  and  secondary 
rafters,  so  as  to  render  the  interior  of  the  building  less  affected 
by  cold  and  heat.  This  vault,  the  upper  part  of  which  is,  unfor- 
tunately, rather  dark,  serves,  by  its  form  and  importance,  as  an 
ornament  to  this  large  hall.  As  to  the  thrust  exerted  on  the 
walls  by  the  timber-work  and  the  very  heavy  roof  which  it 
supports,  it  is  perfectly  resisted  by  the  pillars  connected  with 
the  walls  and  the  counterforts,  the  construction  of  which  we 
have  before  explained. 

The  masonry  is  in  stone  and  brick,  the  wood- work  in  deal ; 
and  neither  the  vault  nor  the  roof  has  shown  the  slightest  indi- 
cations of  giving  way. 

It  may  be  said  that  it  would  have  been  easy,  by  employing 
iron,  to  have  attained  this  end  without  having  to  overcome  so 
many  difficulties.  Our  answer  is,  first,  that  the  employment 
of  iron  would  have  been  much  more  expensive,  and  also,  that 
it  would  not  have  been  possible  to  erect  roofs  of  the  size  re- 
quired, so  as  to  afford  the  same  protection  from  heat  and  cold 
as  those  which  have  been  adopted ;  thus  a  zinc  roof  under 
similar  conditions  does  not  avail  unless  complemented  by  an 
inner  layer  of  wood.  A  glass  roof  would  have  been  too  hot  in 
summer  and  too  cold  in  winter ;  and  would,  besides,  have  been 
obscured  by  snow  at  the  very  time  when  the  light  afforded  by 
it  would  have  been  most  needed.  A  tiled  roof  w^ould  have  re- 
quired iron  supports  of  enormous  dimensions,  and  consequently 
very  costly;  and,  indeed,  when  we  see  what  results  have  been 


HANOVER.  195 


attained,  we  may  surely  concede  to  the  Hanoverian  architects 
the  right  to  build  as  they  think  fit,  and  to  prefer  the  timber, 
which  they  have  ready  to  their  hands,  to  iron,  which  must  liave 
been  procured  at  great  cost. 

While  we  are  speaking  of  buildings  departing  from  ordinary 
rules,  we  may  also  mention  a  church  now  being  erected  in 
^gidien-stadt  (Figs.  104  and  105).  We  see  there  the  same 
isolated  pillars,  the  narrow  aisle,  forming  a  kind  of  internal 
buttresses  which  we  have  already  noticed  at  the  Gymnasium ; 
so  there  is  no  necessity  to  allude  again  to  them.  We  will  only 
call  attention  to  the  method  adopted  for  the  roof  of  the  nave, 
and  which  consists  in  long  tie-beams,  supported  by  two  rows 
of  braces  of  unequal  length,  from  which  annular  vaults  spring. 
This  combination  is  ingenious,  but  the  effect  is  heavy.  The 
dimensions  which  are  necessarily  given  to  the  timbers  dwarf 
the  lower  parts.  It  is  a  kind  of  compromise  between  some 
churches  in  the  Netherlands  and  certain  of  our  modem  ones, 
in  which  barrel  vaults  have  recently  been  constructed.  Still, 
while  accepting  ideas  of  this  nature,  it  is  evidently  an  advan- 
tage, with  regard  both  to  the  appearance,  the  construction,  and 
the  durability,  to  substitute,  as  we  have  done,  stone  arches  for 
the  wooden  tie-beams  from  which  the  vaults  spring. 

The  most  important  modern  ecclesiastical  building  in  Hanover 
is  the  new  synagogue,  the  architect  of  which  is  Mons.  Oppler. 

The  synagogue  was  anciently  the  place  where  the  Jews  met 
to  pray,  to  read  and  expound  the  sacred  Scriptures.  This  cus- 
tom has  not  been  changed ;  and  the  Hebrew  worship,  after  the 
lapse  of  three  thousand  years,  requires  no  modification  of  the 
arrangement  according  to  which  the  temple  of  Solomon  was 
built.  It  seems,  therefore,  at  first  sight,  that  the  plan  of  this 
temple  ought  to  have  been  adopted  for  all  synagogues  in  every 
country ;  but,  though  the  creed  and  mode  of  worship  have  not 
been  altered,  the  requirements  of  different  climates  are  not  the 
same.  It  was  necessary  to  unite  the  modern  necessities  of  the 
West  with  the   conditions  required  by  a  religion  which  origi- 


196 


GERMANY, 


nated  in  the  East,  and  to  plan  an  edifice  which  by  its  form,  its 


Fig.  104. —Interior  of  a  Church,  in  ^gidien-stadt,  Hanover. 


7  4,  %}K^ 

Fig.  105.  —  Grotmd-plan  of  the  same. 


HANOVER.  197 


character,  and  the  system  of  its  construction,  is  adapted  to 
present  circumstances,  and,  at  the  same  time,  in  accordance 
with  the  traditions  which  it  must  recall,  and  the  fundamental 
principles  which  it  must  transmit.  Synagogues,  like  all  other 
buildings,  vary,  therefore,  in  form  as  much  as  in  architectural 
disposition. 

The  ground-plan  of  the  Hanover  synagogue  (Fig.  106)  is  con- 
formable to  conventional  notions.  It  assumes  the  form  of  a 
rectangle,  but  the  greater  width  to  the  right  and  left  of  the 
nave  would,  unfortunately,  recall  the  idea  of  the  cross,  were  it 
not  that  this  transept  is  so  disposed  as  to  present,  with  the 
prolongation  of  the  nave  and  the  choir,  a  vast  central  division, 
which,  correctly  speaking,  forms  in  itself  the  main  portion  of 
the  building,  divided  from  the  aisles  by  arches  springing  from 
isolated  pillars. 

Before  the  entrance,  which  is  at  the  west  end,  is  a  porch,  to 
which  open  the  staircases  leading  to  the  galleries ;  the  vaulted 
roof  of  this  porch  is  supported  by  twelve  columns,  intended  to 
represent  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel.  Beyond  the  nave  or  lioly 
place,  is  the  sanctuary  or  holy  of  holies,  placed  at  the  east  end. 
In  the  central  part  a  large  cupola  rises  higher  than  any  other 
part  of  the  building,  and  symbolizes  the  idea  of  the  unity  of 
God. 

Near  the  sanctuary  there  are  two  vestries,  to  the  right  and 
left;  and  at  the  entrance  are  two  other  rooms.  In  the  large 
space  on  the  ground-floor  are  raised  seats  reserved  for  men,  and 
on  the  first  floor  those  allotted  to  women.  Within  the  choir 
are  the  stalls  of  the  grand  rabbi,  of  the  members  of  consistory, 
and  of  the  administrative  commission.  In  front  are  the  pulpit, 
the  seven-branched  candlestick,  and  the  traditional  lamp;  in 
the  apse,  the  ark  or  chest,  a  souvenir  of  the  ark  of  the  covenant, 
in  which  the  Jews  keep  the  five  books  of  the  law  of  Moses, 
written  by  hand  on  vellum,  and  rolled  up  in  the  ancient 
manner. 

We  may  notice  among  the  architectural  details  of  the  interior 


198 


GEEMANY. 


Fig.  106.  —  Ground-plan  of  Synagogue,  Hanover. 


HANOVER.  199 


(Fig.  107)  the  large  arches  of  the  nave,  which  occupy  its  whole 
height,  from  the  ground  to  the  roof,  without  being  cut  by  lower 
arches  intended  to  support  the  galleries.  These  remind  one  of 
the  ancient  churches  in  Westphalia,  in  which  the  aisles  were 
always  as  high  as  the  nave.  The  galleries  are  sustained  on  pil- 
lars and  consoles  of  wrought-iron,  and  seem  to  be  independent 
of  the  structure,  so  that  they  might  be  removed  without  making 
any  other  change  in  the  disposition  of  the  building.  This  is, 
perhaps,  a  fault,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  the  plan  adopted  is 
novel ;  it  increases  the  elevation  of  the  vaults,  since  no  combi- 
nation of  details  interferes  with  their  height.  The  cupola  is 
supported  on  four  squinches,  formed  of  retreating  arches  succes- 
sively lessening  as  they  recede.  The  rest  of  the  building  is  cov- 
ered with  groined  vaults  with  projecting  ribs.  The  whole  has 
a  comfortable  and  rich  appearance,  which  will  be  still  more  aug- 
mented by  the  decorative  parts,  which  are  far  from  being  finished 
at  the  present  time. 

The  principal  arrangements  of  the  ground-plan  and  the  inte- 
rior are  evident  in  the  facades  (Fig.  108).  We  can  easily  recog- 
nize, as  we  examine  them,  the  large  central  hall^  mentioned 
before,  surmounted  by  a  cupola,  and  defined  by  four  projecting 
pillars.  We  may  remark  that  the  vaults  of  the  nave  might,  per- 
haps, be  dark  at  the  upper  part  (for  they  receive  only  borrowed 
light  from  the  windows  of  the  aisles),  were  it  not  that,  on  account 
of  the  comparatively  little  length  of  the  ground-plan,  the  build- 
ing will  be  lighted  by  the  large  windows  at  the  extremities  of 
the  transept. 

This  synagogue  is  built  of  freestone,  as  well  as  bricks,  wood, 
and  iron.  This  is  one  of  the  few  buildings  in  Hanover  in  which 
w^e  have  noticed  the  employment  of  iron.  Its  use  has  been  so 
well  understood,  and  it  has  here  been  employed  in  forms  and 
combinations  so  appropriate  to  its  nature  and  to  the  part  which 
it  plays  in  the  construction,  that  it  is  evident  that  its  unfrequent 
application  is  not  owing  to  Hanoverian  architects  not  knowing 
how  to  employ  it  with  effect.     It  rather  depends  on  the  influ- 


200 


GERMANY. 


^i^.- 

■,  A--. 

.jy 

r-r- 

^'"^tiE 

.  ..^.^ 

It 

s 

10 

;2uM. 

Fig.  107.  —  Transverse  Section  of  the  Synagogue,  Hanover. 


HANOVER. 


201 


ence  of  wise  economical  views  which  cause  timber  to  be  pre- 
ferred to  iron,  since  the  former  is  still  abundant  in  the  country 
and  comparatively  cheap. 


Fig.  108.  —  Synagogue  at  Hanover. 

The  Gymnasium  and  the  synagogue  are  two  such  interesting 


202  GERMANY. 


buildings  that  they  certainly  deserve  the  detailed  descriptions 
Avhich  we  have  given  of  them.  The  architects  who  planned 
them  have  had  the  merit,  rare  among  our  German  brethren,  of 
not  borrowing  and  appropriating  to  themselves  the  results  of  the 
studies  of  others.  These  public  buildings  constitute,  each  in  its 
kind,  works  of  great  personal  ability,  including,  as  we  see,  many 
diverse  elements ;  but  these  reminiscences  are  wisely  co-ordi- 
nated, and  placed  in  perfect  agreement  with  each  other,  and 
produce,  on  the  whole,  a  combination  much  to  be  admired. 

We  enter  a  primary  school,  where  we  find  the  playground 
small,  the  class-rooms  insufficient,  the  ceilings  too  low,  the  chil- 
dren too  crowded  together,  the  school  furniture  unsuitable.  One 
master  presides  over  and  teaches  more  than  a  hundred  scholars 
at  once.  The  light  is  not  good ;  the  building,  originally  a  pri- 
vate house,  has  been  transformed  into  a  school,  and  this  trans- 
formation has  not  been  judiciously  effected.  We  pay  a  visit  to 
a  second  school.  This  is  not  so  badly  arranged  and  kept  as  the 
preceding,  but  still  it  is  far  below  what  v>'e  meet  with  in  the 
modern  schools  of  France  and  England.  It  was  very  warm  there, 
and  the  odor  produced  by  the  assemblage  of  so  many  children 
was  intolerable.  We  asked  the  master  what  means  he  had  at 
his  disposal  for  ventilating  the  school-room.  It  was  necessary 
to  repeat  the  question  several  times,  and,  then  his  countenance 
suddenly  lighted  up ;  he  understood,  and  rushing  to  one  of  the 
windows,  threw  it  wide  open  with  a  triumphant  air. 

The  Polytechnic  School  is  an  establishment  which  nearly  cor- 
responds to  our  large  lyceums,  or  rather  to  the  Eollin  and  Chaptal 
colleges  in  Paris.  The  class-rooms  are  small  but  well  ventilated, 
and  the  pupils  have  a  respectable  appearance.  Xot  being  desir- 
ous of  showing  our  nationality  as  Frenchmen,  we  asked  one  of 
the  elder  lads  a  question  in  English.  He  replied  in  very  good 
French  that  they  did  not  learn  English,  but  French  only,  as  this 
language  alone  is  obligatory.  He  was  a  boy  of  about  fifteen 
years  of  age,  and  he  expressed  himself  easily  and  without  em- 
barrassment.    We  doubt  whether  many  of  the  pupils  of  our 


HANOVER.  203 


lycees  could  make  themselves  so  well  understood  in  German. 
The  uniform  consists  of  a  minute  white  cap  with  a  wide  red 
band  round  it.  Many  of  the  children  wear  spectacles ;  we  might 
almost  say  that  those  who  do  not  are  in  the  minority.  Short 
sight,  indeed,  is  an  infirmity  which  is  distressingly  on  the  in- 
crease in  Germany,  and  is  generally  attributed  to  the  defective 
manner  in  which  the  rooms  are  lighted,  and  to  the  insufficient 
plans  adopted  for  the  construction  and  arrangement  of  the  pri- 
mary schools.  1 

Hanover  possesses  one  of  the  six  military  schools  of  Germany. 
We  shall  only  notice  them  in  order  to  show  what  kind  of  in- 
struction is  given  to  the  fourth  division,  which  includes  a  knowl- 
edge of  every  document  connected  with  the  armies  of  foreign 
governments.  These  documents,  modified  every  day,  keep  the 
students  perfectly  acquainted  with  the  armaments,  the  position 
of  the  various  corps  cVarmee  and  the  strength  of  each  regiment, 
the  places  where  they  are  stationed,  the  names  of  the  officers 
who  command  them,  the  cannon  with  which  they  are  provided, 
and  the  war  material  in  the  arsenals  of  Europe.  It  was  the 
exact  knowledge  of  all  these  details  which  we  attributed  to  the 
spy  system,  not  being  able  to  explain  it  otherwise  during  the 
war  of  1870. 

The  students,  during  their  last  year,  undergo  frequent  exami- 
nations on  these  subjects.  They  are  expected,  in  answer  to  the 
questions  proposed  to  them,  to  give,  for  instance,  the  numbers 
of  the  regiments  forming  such  or  sucli  a  corps  cVarmee  in  a  for- 
eign country,  the  military  stations,  the  local  resources,  the  im- " 
portance  and  the  nature  of  the  productions  of  every  commune, 
the  names  of  the  crenerals  of  brigade  and  of  division,  with  the 
particulars  of  the  service  which  they  have  seen.  The  camps, 
fortresses,  and  arsenals  are  the  subjects  of  similar  study  and  of 
the  same  careful  investigation.  A  German  officer  ought  also  to 
know  thoroughly  the  network  of  railways  throughout  Euro23e, 

1  See  "Constructions  et  installation  des  ecoles  primaires,"  par  Felix  Narjoux, 
architecte.     1  vol.  in  8vo.     Librairie  Morel,  13  Rue  Bonaparte,  Paris. 


204  GERMANY. 


the  manner  in  which  they  are  worked,  the  points  of  bifurcation 
of  the  lines,  and  the  quantity  of  rolling  stock  belonging  to  the 
companies.  The  bridges  over  the  larger  and  smaller  rivers  are 
indicated  on  special  maps,  with  an  estimate  of  the  weight  which 
they  are  calculated  to  bear.  The  width  and  depth  of  rivers  and 
canals  are  exactly  quoted  and  learned  by  heart.  Nothing  is 
neglected,  so  that  during  a  campaign  there  should  be  no  obstacle 
whatever  due  to  ignorance  or  irresolution,  so  as  to  delay  the 
advance  of  troops. 

The  pupils,  both  of  primary  and  secondary  schools,  engage 
with  eagerness  in  gymnastic  exercises.  The  importance  given 
to  the  buildings  of  the  Gymnasium  (Figs.  100,  101,  102,  and 
103)  shows  what  interest  the  Germans  attach  to  such  games  as 
develop  the  body  and  give  it  the  strength  necessary  to  maintain 
a  just  balance  between  the  physical  and  mental  powers. 

We  have  no  intention  of  instituting  a  thorough  comparison 
between  the  secondary  schools  of  France  and  Germany ;  but  stiU 
we  will  notice  the  most  important  points  of  difference  between 
the  two  systems.  Germany  has  established  the  tutorial  system 
so  much  in  favor  in  England,  by  substituting  for  large  boarding- 
schools,  smaller  ones  for  eight  or  ten  pupils,  limited  establish- 
ments kept  by  professors  of  colleges.  The  professors  receive 
these  boys  into  their  own  families,  accompany  them  to  school, 
hear  their  lessons,  watch  over  their  conduct,  and  take  the  place 
of  their  absent  parents.  There  are  no  regular  and  obligatory 
hours  of  study ;  the  children  work  whenever  they  please ;  pro- 
vided that  their  duties  are  performed  at  a  given  moment,  the 
master  requires  them  to  give  no  account  of  their  time.  Instead 
of  junior  masters,  there  are  monitors  chosen  by  the  pupils,  and 
taken  from  themselves.  The  classes,  instead  of  lasting  two  hours 
each,  are  only  three  quarters  of  an  hour  or  an  hour  in  duration, 
and  are  always  separated  by  a  period  of  recreation. 

If  the  higher  German  studies  lose  themselves  in  the  mazes 
of  metaphysics,  and  a  sort  of  poetical  dreaminess  full  of  minute 
details  respecting  the  analysis  of  the  sentiments,  the  secondary 


HANOVER.  205 


teaching  for  younger  lads  is,  on  the  contrary,  eminently  prac- 
tical ;  and  young  pupils  are  well  grounded  in  geography,  history, 
mathematics,  the  natural  sciences,  singing,  drawing,  and  one  or 
two  living  languages,  taught  by  means  of  long  conversations  be- 
tween the  professors  and  the  pupils.  Primary  instruction,  when 
the  somewhat  slow  intelligence  of  a  German  child  is  able  to 
follow  it,  is  rather  advanced.  The  pupils  have  greater  knowl- 
edge of  singing,  arithmetic,  and  geography  than  the  children 
of  the  lower  classes  in  our  country. 

The  last  observation  that  we  shall  make  on  this  subject  is, 
that  during  several  visits  paid  to  Germany,  we  have  always 
been  struck  —  long  before  1870 — with  the  great  number  of 
maps  which  cover  the  walls  of  the  railway- stations,  taverns, 
and  restaurants  ;  in  fact,  of  every^  place  of  public  resort.  There 
were  among  them  many  maps  of  France,  and  we  still  find  them 
there.  They  are,  we  must  say,  excellent  substitutes  for  the  pic- 
tures, in  such  bad  taste,  unfortunately  so  much  in  favor  among 
ourselves  and  elsewhere. 

This  use  of  maps  appeared  to  us  so  advantageous,  that  when 
we  were  requested,  soon  after  one  of  these  visits,  to  draw  up  a 
plan  for  a  school-house,  we  proposed  to  paint  maps  on  the  walls 
of  the  class-rooms  and  playground.  This  proposition  was  re- 
ceived by  the  local  administration  with  much  laughter  at  our 
expense.  The  same  result  followed  our  suggestions  in  Paris 
with  respect  to  the  construction  of  workshops  for  a  large 
number  of  men.  We  then  suggested  that  maps,  tools,  models 
for  calculation,  writing,  design,  or  the  usual  requirements  of  the 
business,  should  be  painted  on  the  walls.  "  That  would  distract 
the  attention  of  my  workmen,"  replied  the  master. 


206  GERMANY. 


HAXOYER. 
11. 

THE  HOUSES,  THEIR  FURNITURE,  AND  THEIR  INHABITANTS. 

BEFORE  speaking  of  the  houses  of  Hanover,  let  us  notice 
their  inhabitants  and  the  general  aspect  of  the  city. 
Thouoh  it  is  still  early,  the  streets  wear  already  an  animated 
appearance;  housekeepers  are  going  to  market  in  their  red  or 
blue  bonnets;  the  mistress  of  the  house  does  not  consider  it 
beneath  her  dignity  to  go  herself  to  make  her  purchases,  accom- 
panied by  servants  who,  with  their  arms  bare  as  far  as  their 
shoulders,  carry  in  their  large  baskets  an  enormous  load  of 
provisions  of  all  kinds,  and  are  prodigal  of  their  smiles  to  the 
helmeted  soldiers  whom  they  pass.  Groups  of  persons  are  fre- 
quently seen.  Those  who  compose  them  remain  indefinitely 
rooted  to  the  same  spot,  and  yet  their  conversation  does  not 
seem  very  animating  or  interesting.  Two  men  meet ;  they  stop 
and  smoke  by  the  side  of  each  other  their  long  porcelain  pipes ; 
they  exchange  but  few  sentences,  but  are  contented  with  utter- 
ing now  and  tlien  a  word  which  appears  to  be  very  significant, 
for  it  is  sufficient  to  give  fresh  life  to  the  interview  and  to  pro- 
long the  time  of  their  stay.  There  are  not  many  vehicles  drawn 
by  horses,  but  a  great  number  of  hand-barrows,  in  which  a  single 
man  is  able  to  take  a  considerable  load.  Clerks  go  to  their 
offices  with  that  weary  look,  that  indefinable  expression  of 
ennui,  which,  in  every  country,  is  given  to  their  features  by 
the  monotonous  and  regular  life  that  they  lead.  "We  see  regi- 
ments of  soldiers  drawn  up  in  line ;  the   men  are  strong  and 


HANOVEE.  207 


robust ;  their  natural  powers  are  developed,  their  physical  force 
is  very  great,  but  there  is  but  little  intelligence  shown  in  their 
eyes  or  their  brows.  The  discipline  appears  to  be  excessive, 
and  is  maintained  with  exemplary  severity.  If  an  officer  passes, 
the  soldiers  stop  and  salute ;  if  it  is  a  superior  officer,  not  only 
the  common  soldiers,  but  the  officers  whom  he  meets,  draw  up, 
salute  him,  and  continue  on  their  way  with  the  regularity  and 
precision  of  an  automaton  when  the  spring  which  moves  it  has 
been  touched. 

At  meal-times  —  and  they  frequently  recur  —  the  restaurants 
are  filled  immediately  the  former  guests  have  left.  Enormous 
dishes  full  of  meat,  prepared  with  but  little  delicacy,  are  placed 
before  customers  who  are  always  hungry  and  eat  greedily, 
scarcely  stopping  for  a  moment  to  empty  large  glasses  of  beer, 
which  they  drain  at  a  single  draught.  Between  meals,  they 
frequently  take  rolls  filled  with  ham,  cheese,  or  cold  beef,  and 
wash  them  down  with  beer  or  brandy.  The  men  lay  down  their 
pipes  only  when  they  are  eating,  and  resume  them  immediately 
after  they  have  finished.  One  may  easily  understand  that  their 
manners  have  but  little  refinement  and  politeness.  The  time 
which  is  not  given  to  business  is  often  passed  at  the  tavern. 
The  women  sometimes  exchange  visits  in  the  afternoon ;  these 
little  social  meetings  are  called  MittwochnachinittagcaffcgeMll- 
scliaft !  They  then  partake  of  slices  of  bread-and-butter  and 
cups  of  cafe  cm  lait ;  these  slices  and  cups  are  of  considerable 
size,  and  nevertheless  the  former  rapidly  disappear,  and  the 
latter  are  frequently  refilled. 

When  one  of  the  guests,  seated  at  the  door  of  a  tavern,  makes 
a  joke,  he  smiles  blandly,  his  countenance  expands  with  simple 
and  dull  enjoyment ;  the  jest  passes  from  one  table  to  another ; 
each  one  repeats  it  to  his  neighbor,  even  repeats  it  to  himself 
that  he  may  thoroughly  understand  it;  at  last  they  begin  to 
laugh,  and  their  mirth  increases  in  intensity,  so  that  there  is 
no  end  of  it ;  a  quarter  of  an  hour  afterwards  it  still  continues. 
They  dwell  upon  a  single  word  or  a  gesture  which  they  think 


208  GERMANY, 


worthy  of  attention,  and  ponder  it  in  their  minds,  heavily  en- 
grossed by  it.  In  one  of  the  grand  taverns  near  the  railway- 
station  a  stout  officer  had  just  taken  his  breakfast.  The  meal 
which  he  had  swallowed  would  frighten  the  reader ;  but  having 
at  last  finished  with  a  salad-bowl  full  of  herrings  and  potatoes, 
and  a  soup-plate  of  cofe  au  lait,  he  felt  satisfied ;  then,  rising 
from  table,  adjusting  his  spectacles  and  buckling  on  his  belt,  our 
hero  began  to  sing  with  a  thundering  voice  and  an  accent  impos- 
sible to  describe,  Meiii  Herr  Malporough  sen  fa-f-en  guerre  ! 
The  applause  which  he  obtained  was  prodigious.  Every  person 
present  repeated  the  words,  passed  them  on  to  their  neighbors, 
told  them  to  the  new-comers,  and  then  came  shouts  of  laughter 
and  stamping  of  feet.  An  hour  afterwards  the  excitement  had 
not  calmed  down,  for  it  only  ceased  to  begin  afresh.  The  famous 
phrase  was  repeated  and  commented  on  in  a  hundred  ways  with 
evident  satisfaction  and  admiration,  and  certainly  provided  suffi- 
cient intellectual  employment  for  the  whole  of  the  day. 

The  vanity  of  these  people  is  unbounded;^  you  notice  it  in 
every  word  and  gesture.  These  parvenus  of  victory  have  en- 
dured our  supremacy  and  our  influence  in  all  European  ques- 
tions for  many  years,  and  they  are  now  determined  to  have 
their  revenge ;  but  they  do  not  understand,  as  we  do,  true  glory 
and  pride,  and  they  remain  inferior  to  us  in  greatness  and  gen- 
erosity. The  splendor  of  triumph  is  sufficient  for  us,  but  they 
can  understand  only  the  outward  and  material  aspect  of  con- 
quest. A  title  of  honor  is  the  reward  of  a  French  general  who 
returns  victorious.  German  generals,  like  barbarians,  gorged 
themselves  with  gold  after  the  war  of  1870. 
.  We  stop  before  a  cabinet-maker's  shop.  The  men  are  work- 
ing conscientiously,  steadily,  and  without  spirit,  yet  still  with- 
out wasting  their  time.     The  one  who  was  nearest  to  us  was 

1  On  a  table  in  the  museum  of  Sans-Souci  at  Berlin  there  is  a  large  book  bound 
in  red  velvet.  On  the  first  page  we  read,  in  letters  of  gold,  "The  Austrian  cam- 
paign "  ;  then  beneath  this,  *'  It  occupied  Frederick  the  Great  for  seven  years"  ; 
and  on  the  opposite  page,  "  William  I.  concluded  it  in  seven  days." 


HANOVER.  209 


connecting  two  oak  planks  by  a  groove  and  tongue  joint ;  every 
moment  he  fitted  his  boards  together,  tried  them,  turned  them 
over,  and  compared  them ;  he  took  a  small  piece  off  the  tongue, 
and  then  enlarged  the  groove;  then  he  tried  them  afresh,  en- 
deavoring to  drive  one  into  the  other  with  his  mallet ;  then  he 
examined  his  boards  on  every  side.  The  work  was  certainly 
done  firmly  and  well,  but  he  had  occupied  twice  as  much  time 
as  a  Frenchman  would  have  done ;  and,  after  all,  it  was  finished 
without  taste.  The  veins  of  the  wood  were  not  matched ;  they 
crossed  each  other  instead  of  meeting  at  the  central  line,  and 
spreading  afterwards  so  as  to  form  the  aigrette,  so  much  admired 
in  our  cabinet-work,  and  which  would  not  have  been  forgotten 
by  a  French  w^orkman  who  was  skilful  and  who  was  fond  of  his 
trade. 

There  are  no  beggars  in  the  streets,  for  mendicity  is  strictly 
forbidden  in  Germany,  and  in  some  of  the  northern  towns  a  fine 
is  inflicted  on  every  person  convicted  of  giving  alms. 

We  do  not  see  so  many  women  in  the  streets  in  the  afternoon 
as  in  the  morning.  They  go  out  but  little,  and  pay  but  few 
visits  to  each  other ;  which  accounts  for  their  eagerness  to  form 
groups  in  the  streets,  and  to  exchange  a  few  words  when  they 
are  out  and  happen  to  meet. 

The  men  are  heavy,  dull,  stout,  gross,  but  strong  and  robust ; 
we  seem  every  moment  to  meet  with  all  the  shoeblacks,  tail- 
ors, and  shoemakers  that  we  have  seen  in  France.  Benjamin 
Constant  was  right  when  he  once  said  of  these  people :  "  The 
Germans  are  ponderous  in  their  reasoning,  their  jokes,  their 
tenderness,  their  diversions,  and  their  quiet  hours,  —  they  seem 
to  think  that  it  w^ould  put  them  out  of  breath  to  be  cheerful, 
and  that  they  would  be  thrown  off  their  guard  if  they  were 
polite." 

Theatrical  performances  begin  and  conclude  at  an  early  hour. 
The  women  go  in  morning  dress ;  they  listen  without  stirring 
from  their  boxes,  or  paying  visits  to  each  other ;  the  men  fre- 
■  quently  go  out  to  eat,  drink,  and  smoke,  and  return  with  great 


210  GERMANY 


noise,  stTiLl  wearing  their  overcoats,  and  affecting  in  public  a 
deplorable  want  of  decorum  and  consideration  for  others.  They 
have  not  yet,  however,  adopted  the  custom  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Breslau,  who  enter  the  theatre  with  muddy  boots,  and  place 
them  on  the  railing  in  front  of  their  box,  where  they  form  a 
kind  of  decoration,  which  has,  at  least,  the  merit  of  origi- 
nality. 

The  inhabitants  of  Hanover  seem  to  have  considerable  taste 
for  the  theatre  ;  their  opera-house  is  open  during  eleven  months 
of  the  year.  The  repertoire  is  chiefly  composed  of  comic  operas, 
a  few  ballets,  some  translations  of  French  pieces,  and  the  works 
of  native  anthors. 

One  of  the  favorite  amusements  of  a  certain  class  of  the  pop- 
ulation is  chamber-music,  for  which  German  composers  have 
written  so  many  pieces,  and  by  the  harmony  of  which  they  are 
able  to  produce  a  wonderful  effect,  even  with  but  few  per- 
formers. 

These  people  are  not  rich,  and  they  spend  but  little,  so  that 
their  income  and  profits  are  small ;  and  the  balance-sheet  is  not 
always  in  their  favor,  since  they  are  often  in  debt. 

The  dress  of  the  women  is  modest,  but  in  bad  taste.  They  are 
in  themselves  neither  graceful  nor  elegant;  many  of  them  wear 
glasses,  and  all  of  them  show  in  their  intercourse  with  men  a 
strange  want  of  reserve,  which  is  singularly  repugnant  to  our 
ideas  of  propriety  and  decorum.  At  a  table  cVhote,  before  a  hun- 
dred persons,  a  woman  will  kiss  her  husband ;  she  sits  on  his 
knee  in  a  railway-carriage,  and  sings  to  him,  in  a  low  voice, 
melodies  in  that  sweet  language  which  Ave  in  France  consider  fit 
only  for  horses.  If  they  are  merely  engaged  to  each  other,  he 
only  presses  her  knees  under  the  table,  and  sends  her  kisses  from 
his  fingers'  ends.  It  must  be  remembered  that  we  are  here 
speaking  of  persons  who,  by  their  fortune  and  position,  evidently 
belong  to  the  higher  classes  in  society.  It  is  said  that  such  free 
manners  show  the  innocence  and  simplicity  of  those  Avho  prac- 
tise them ;  it  seems  to  us,  on  the  contrar}^,  that  they  are  a  proof 


HANOVER.  211 


of  a  defective  education,  and  of  the  absence  of  delicate  and  ele- 
vated feelings.  1 

The  middle  class  possess  neither  the  influence  nor  the  power 
which  they  have  in  France ;  where,  in  these  later  times,  they 
may  be  said  to  be  absolute  masters.  In  Germany  they  are  in  a 
rudimentary  position ;  they  have  but  few  possessions,  and  are 
either  absorbed  into  the  higher  class,  or  not  distinguished  from 
,that  beneath  them.  They  are  of  an  anxious  temperament;  their 
debts  occupy  their  whole  attention,  and  are  the  sole  object  of 
their  thoughts.  These  form  an  inexhaustible  subject  of  conver- 
sation, and  the  theme  of  anecdotes,  remarks,  and  stories  of  all 
kinds.  This  impression  we  received  many  years  ago ;  for  tedious 
histories  of  debtors  and  creditors  formed  the  staple  of  all  the 
themes  and  exercises  contained  in  the  grammar  from  which  we 
learnt  so  imperfectly  w^hen  we  were  at  college  this  terrible  Ger- 
man language.  One  of  the  subjects  most  frequently  treated  of 
in  their  works  of  fiction  is  the  rapid  acquisition  of  fortune,  not 
by  industry,  but  by  some  accidental  cause :  an  unknown  rich 
relative  is  all  at  once  discovered,  or  an  unexpected  inheritance 
is  left  by  some  great  nobleman,  who  forms  a  just  appreciation 
of  their  merits. 

Their  life  is  simple,  and  exempt  from  trouble.  Violent  pas- 
sions are  rare  ;  all  their  interest  centres  in  the  family,  and  every- 
thing is  so  arranged  in  the  household  as  to  secure  the  influence 
of  the  father,  and  to  simplify  the  duties  of  the  motlier,  who  un- 
dertakes the  education  of  her  children,  of  whom  tliere  are  often 
a  great  number.  The  family  hearth  is  never  abandoned,  except 
for  weighty  reasons ;  when  the  fortune  of  the  parents  permits  it, 
the  home  contains  all  the  elements  necessary  to  render  it  agree- 
able, and  is  abundantly  provided  with  linen,  china,  plate,  and 
more  especially  w^ith  flowers. 

Gold  is  very  rare  in  Germany;  our  French  coins  have  no  cir- 
culation there ;  but  as  soon  as  a  five-franc  piece  is  offered  to  a 

1  In  France,  eight  per  cent  of  the  children  are  said  to  be  born  "  en-ante  natu- 
rals "  ;  in  Germany  the  percentage  is  fourteen. 


212 


G  E  R  ]\I  A  N  Y 


tradesman,  lie  seizes  it,  presses  it  fondly,  and  looks  particularly 
radiant  if  he  can  extort  one  or  two  silver  grosclien  as  a  premium 
for-  exchange. 

AVe  must,  however,  make  one  remark  in  favor  of  the  Germans. 
During  the  whole  course  of  this  excursion,  made  soon  after  the 
war,  and  a  second  visit  paid  since,  we  never  in  any  town  heard 
a  single  insulting  expression  relating  to  our  defeat,  or  recalling 


Fig.    109.  —  Plan   of  Ground-floor   of  Fig.  110.  —  Plan  of  First  Floor. 

Private  House. 


1.  Porch. 

2.  Hall. 

3.  Drawing-room. 

4.  Breakfast-room. 

5.  Dinino'-room. 


6.  Library. 

7.  Bedrooms. 

8.  Dressing-rooms. 

9.  Terrace. 


(Scale,  .098  inch  to  the  yard.) 


it  in  such  a  manner  as  to  hurt  our  feelings.  A  considerable  for- 
eign element  is  to  be  found  in  Hanover,  principally  of  English 
residents.  The  bonds  which  unite  England  with  Hanover  are 
of  ancient  date.  They  were  for  a  long  time  under  the  same 
sceptre,  and  the  race  of  their  kings,  as  well  as  their  political  in- 
terests, have  been  entirely  separated  only  by  the  events  of  the 
last  few  years. 


HANOVER.  213 


This  rapid  sketch  was  necessary  to  give  an  idea  of  the  man- 
ners of  the  inhabitants  whose  dwellings  we  desired  to  study. 
The  principal  points  worthy  of  notice,  and  on  which  we  wished 
to  dwell  are :  first,  tlie  mediocrity  of  their  resources,  their  calm 
and  peaceful  habits,  the  love  of  home,  the  absence  or  at  least 
the  rarity  of  social  meetings,  and,  as  a  consequence  of  this,  the 
necessity  of  remaining  usually  in  the  bosom  of  their  families. 
In  order,  therefore,  to  minister  to  these  wants,  they  require  cheer- 
ful and  convenient  habitations,  containing  all  those  arrangements 
for  comfort  which  make  home  life  agreeable ;  and  these  must  be 
of  sufficient  size,  so  that  the  inhabitants  may  have  plenty  of  room 
and  everything  that  they  may  require. 

The  house,  of  which  Fig.  109  represents  the  ground-floor,  and 
Fig.  110  the  first  story,  is  a  semi-detached  double  house,  being 
intended  for  two  families  who  wish  to  live  side  by  side  and 
united,  yet  entirely  independent  of  each  other,  —  a  combination 
frequent  in  the  North,  where  families  and  friends  love  to  assem- 
ble in  the  same  quarter  and  the  same  streets.  A  dwarf  wall, 
surmounted  by  a  balustrade,  is  built  in  front  of  the  public  road, 
and  a  free  space,  serving  as  a  terrace-walk  before  the  drawing- 
rooms,  separates  the  building  from  the  street,  and  keeps  passers- 
by  at  a  distance. 

A  covered  porch  protects  the  front  steps,  w^hich  rise  from  the 
level  of  the  street  to  the  ground-floor.  The  kitchen  and  its 
offices  are  placed  in  the  basement;  on  the  ground-floor  are  a 
drawing  and  dining  room,  each  having  attached  to  it  a  secondary 
apartment.  These  two  rooms,  the  most  important  in  the  house, 
are  comparatively  small,  but  they  can  be  united  so  as  to  form 
but  a  single  room.  On  the  first  floor  there  are  two  large  bed- 
chambers, with  dressing-rooms,  and  above  these  the  school- 
room for  the  children,  the  nursery  bedroom,  and  two  for  ser- 
vants. 

This  dwelling-house  is  well  adapted  to  a  private  family.  The 
rooms  are  lofty,  being  thirteen  feet  in  height ;  the  mode  of  access 
is  easy,  while  the  terrace-walk  and  the  balcony  allow  the  resi- 


2U 


GERMANY 


dents  to  go  in  and  out,  and  add  a  charm  to  the  interior  of  the 
house. 


Fig    111.  —  Semi-detached  Houses,  Hanover. 


The  architectural  forms  adopted  in  the  fronts  (Fig.  Ill)  are 
not  like  those  ^vhich  we  are  accustomed  to  see  in  modern  French 
houses ;  they  rather  resemble  certain  monastic  habitations  of  the 


HANOVER 


215 


Middle  Ages,  views  of  which  are  given  in  archseological  publica- 
tions. The  proportions  are  not  perfect,  but  the  details  have  been 
carefully  studied,  and  show  that  the  architect  has  endeavored  to 
give  to  his  work  a  special  appearance  peculiar  to  itself. 

The  mode  of  construction  is  in  good  taste  and  keeping.  Bricks, 
with  a  few  blocks  of  stone,  form  the  principal  part  of  the  build- 
ing. These  bricks  are  yellow,  red,  or  black.  This  variety  of 
color  has  permitted  the  introduction  of  imbricated  work,  the  use 
of  which  enlivens  the  general  effect.     The  dimensions  of  these 


1     •    '    '    4        •" 8 /2M.V* 

Fig.  112.  —  Ground-plan  of  Private  House,  Hanover. 

1.  Passage  to  carriage  entrance. 

4,   Back  drawing-room 

2.   Antechamber. 

5.  Dining-room. 

3.   Drawing-room. 

6.  Store-room. 

bricks  are  rather  different  from  those  employed  by  us,  being 
about  2.36  inches  in  thickness,  5h  inches  in  width,  and  9.6  inches 
in  length.     The  stone  is  white,  and  of  a  good  quality. 

"We  may  remark,  before  we  proceed  further,  that  two  circum- 
stances give  to  the  houses  of  the  North  in  general,  and  to  those 
of  Hanover  especially,  a  peculiar  aspect :  on  the  outside  the 
absence  of  blinds;  and  within,  that  there  are  no  fireplaces. 

The  custom  of  standing  at  the  window  is  not  permitted ;  and 
so  the  window-sills  do  not  project  beyond  the  outer  wall,  but  are 
flush  with  the  inner  surface  of  the  frame,  and  incline  outwards 


216  GERMANY. 


to  the  front.  On  this  slab  flowers  are  placed,  and  sometimes 
birds  are  kept  in  the  intervening  space.  On  the  inside  a  second 
glazed  window-frame  forms  an  enclosure,  opening  by  a  small 
casement,  rather  larger  than  our  usual  panes  of  glass,  which  is 
intended  to  give  fresh  air  to  the  apartment. 

Stoves  are  substituted  for  fireplaces.  The  heat  given  by  them 
is  more  equalized ;  it  is  greater,  and  especially  more  economical, 
than  that  of  an  open  fire ;  but  this  plan  deprives  the  room  of  an 
ornamental  feature,  which  stands  out  so  prominently,  and  by 
which  we  produce  such  striking  effects.  The  looking-glasses 
have  no  invariable  position ;  they  are  of  small  dimensions,  and 
many  rooms  are  entirely  without  them.  Clocks  are  rare,  even  at 
the  present  time ;  and  what  we  are  accustomed  to  call  chimney 
ornaments  are  usually  placed  on  a  console  table  fixed  to  the  wall. 

The  reception-rooms  in  the  interior  of  these  dwelling-houses 
are  not  decorated  in  a  manner  out  of  proportion  to  the  fortune 
of  the  inhabitants.  Stucco-work,  imitation  marble,  plaster  ceil- 
ings with  gold  on  a  blue  ground,  and  cupids  in  ^9«^9zc?'  mache, 
are  not  in  favor.  The  construction  is  simply  carried  out,  and 
the  parts  thrown  into  relief  are  decorated  in  a  manner,  the  least 
merit  of  which  is  that  it  is  reasonable  and  sensible. 

Figure  112  re^^resents  the  ground-plan .  of  a  small  mansion, 
the  arrangement  of  which,  we  must  say,  is  open  to  criticism.^ 
AVe  enter  directly  from  a  rather  narrow  vestibule  into  a  large 
drawing-room  adjoining  a  smaller  one ;  the  door  of  the  dining- 
room  is  opposite  to  that  which  leads  from  the  passage  forming 
the  carriage  entrance.  The  vestibule  is  too  small,  and  the  vis- 
itor and  the  friends  who  receive  him  are  crow^ded  into  too  little 
a  space,  but  the  internal  decorations  of  the  drawing-rooms  am- 
ply deserve  the  praise  which  we  have  already  given. 

The  dining-room  is  separated  from  the  large  drawing-room, 
and  that  again  from  the  smaller  one,  by  wide  openings  (Fig. 

1  See,  for  further  details,  "Habitations  modernes  en  Europe,"  par  MM.  Viollet 
le  Due  et  Felix  Naijoux,  architectes.  Librairie  Morel,  13  Paie  Bonaparte, 
Paris. 


HANOVER. 


217 


113),  which  can  be  closed  by  thick  leathern  hangings.  The 
framework  of  these  openings  tends  to  lessen  the  apparent  height 
of  the  apartments,  and  in  the  dining-room  supports  a  partition 
wall.  The  whole  of  this  combination  is  in  oak ;  some  parts  are 
decorated  and  enriched  with  very  brightly  colored  designs.  The 
walls  are  hung  with  printed  calico  (Fig.  114),  covered  with 
foliage  patterns  of  bright  colors,  and  with  figures  of  men  and 


Fig,  113.  —  View  of  Interior. 

animals,  hunting  scenes,  in  the  midst  of  scrolls  of  flowers  and 
leaves,  the  whole  being  in  imitation  of  tapestry;  but  the  de- 
signs are  in  outline  and  not  relieved  by  shading. 

The  ceilino-  is  oak,  formed  of  small  bare  beams  with  cham- 
fered  edges.  The  long  intermediate  panels  are  painted  of  a  uni- 
form tint,  with  a  few  stripes  of  another  color.  The  pilasters 
have  chamfered  edges,  and,  above  the  fillet  which  divides  them 
midway,  they  are  ornamented  with  designs  in  trellis-work. 


218 


GERMANY. 


The  lame  stove  which  warms  the  drawino-rooms  is  made  of 
enamelled  terra-cotta,  the  colors  of  which,  however  bright  they 
may  be,  are  a  poor  substitute  for  the  cheerful  blaze  which  the 
eye  looks  for  in  vain  during  the  long  winter  evenings.  Terra- 
cotta is  much  used  in  Germany,  and  this  manufacture  has  been 
brought  to  great  perfection  in  that  country.     AVe  will  not  enter 


£.za  UAi  zjus  urret 


Fig.  114.  —  Decorative  Paintings. 


into  any  further  details  respecting  it,  as  we  shall  have  to  return 
to  this  subject  when  we  describe  our  visit  to  the  porcelain  and 
pottery  works  at  Hamburg. 

We  give  in  Fig.  115  the  ground-plan,  and  in  Fig.  116  that  of 
the  first  floor,  of  a  mansion  more  important  than  the  preceding. 


H  A  X  0  y  E  R . 


219 


Id  Paris  it  would  perba^Ds  be  considered  only  a  private  bouse, 
but  bere  it  occupies  a  mucb  bigber  rank. 

Carriages  do  not  enter  under  a  covered  way,  wbicb  is,  espe- 
cially in  tbe  !N"ortb,  an  unfortunate  omission.  It  is  true  tbat  a 
projection  of  tbe  gable  sbelters  tbe  steps  and  protects  visitors. 
Tbe  front  wall  is  separated  from  tbe  public  way  by  an  area,  in 
wbicb  is  tbe  kitcben  entrance ;  tbe  servants  and  tradespeople  do 
not  cross  tbe  tbresbold  of  tbe  principal  door,  wbicb  is  covered 


Fig.  115.  —  Ground-plan  of  a  Mansion,  Hanover. 

1. 

2. 
3. 
4. 

Porch. 

Garden  entrance. 

Hall. 

Small  drawing-room. 

5.  Drawing-room 

6.  Dining-room. 

7.  Library. 

8.  Garden. 

(Scale,  .098  inch  to  the  yard.) 


by  a  projecting  porcb.  Tbe  ball  is  divided  into  two  unequal 
parts ;  tbe  largest  of  tbese  serves  as  an  anteroom,  and  is  of  suffi- 
cient size  to  be  used  as  a  cloak-room,  and  to  contain  bencbes  for 
servants  wbile  tbey  wait  for  tbeir  masters.  An  isolated  column, 
wbicb  indicates  tbe  point  of  separation  of  tbese  two  portions,  as 
sbown  in  Fig.  117,  gives  an  air  of  elegance  to  tbe  ball,  and  tbis 
simple  arrangement  enables  one  to  understand  tbe  construction 
of  tbe  staircase. 


220 


GERMAN  Y 


By  a  door  ou  the  left  baud  of  the  vestibule  we  enter  the 
smaller  drawing-room,  and  directly  opposite  is  the  entrance  to 
the  larger  one.  The  dining-room  communicates  with  both  of 
these  by  wide  openings,  thus  allowing  all  these  apartments  to 
be  easily  thrown  into  one  suite  on  reception  days. 

The  kitchen  and  its  dependent  offices  are  connected  with  the 
ground-floor  by  a  spiral  staircase  in  a  turret,  which  is  ap- 
proached by  a  wide  passage  leading  to  the  closets.  We  must 
not  forget  that  the  servants  in  Germany  are  not  entirely  sepa- 


rT^-3 2      S— c      J.  "MS 

Fig.  116.  —  Plan  of  First  Floor. 
1.  Antechamber.  2.  Bedrooms.  3.  Dres.sinor-rooms. 


rated  from  their  masters,  but  live  more  with  the  family  than  is 
the  case  with  us ;  and  the  mistress  of  a  house  on  the  other  side 
of  the  Rhine  does  not  consider  it  derogatory  to  go  occasionally 
to  superintend  the  kitchen  department. 

On  the  first  floor  is  a  large  antechamber  where  the  children 
can  play.  Then  there  are  very  large  and  lofty  bedrooms,  each 
with  its  dressing-room,  fitted  with  hot  and  cold  water,  a  large 
bath  and  shower-bath,  —  the  latter  an  English  fashion. 

"\Ve  must  here  notice  the  manner  in  which  the  beds  are  placed. 
There  is  no  recess ;  but  the  bed  stands  with  one  of  its  shorter 


HANOVER. 


221 


sides  against  the  wall,  so  that  it  projects  into  the  room  and 
leaves  both  of  its  longer  sides  exposed.  This  arrangement, 
when  the  size  of  the  room  will  permit,  is  the  most  convenient 
and  the  most  healthful,  and  is  especially  useful  in  cases  of  sick- 


r  SJdAiZKlSJtil  Ci.-A  ^ 


Fig.  117. —Hall,  with  Staircase. 


ness.  It  is  always  employed  in  large  state  bedrooms  in  palaces, 
and  was  constantly  found  in  those  of  the  Middle  Ages.  The 
want  of  space  is  the  only  reason  which  can  induce  people  to 
prefer  the  position  now  commonly  adopted. 

The  faqades  (Figs.  118  and    119)   resemble  those  which  we 


900 


G  E  R  :^I  A  X  Y 


Fig.  118.  —  External  Geometrical  Elevation  of  the  Facade  of  a  Private  Mansion,  Hanover. 


HANOVER, 


223 


Fig.  119.— Country  House,  Hanover. 


224  GERMAXy. 


have  already  seen.  There  is  too  much  variety  in  them,  and  they 
have  not  a  quiet  appearance;  but  the  principal  parts  of  the 
structure  are  well  indicated.  The  spiral  staircase  (Fig.  119),  as 
well  as  the  drawing-rooms  and  vestibules,  project  externally; 
large  double  windows  give  light  to  the  principal  apartments, 
and,  contrary  to  the  laws  of  symmetry,  lesser  ones  open  into  the 
smaller  and  secondary  rooms.  Imbricated  work  plays  an  im- 
portant part  in  the  decoration  of  these  fac^ades,  to  w^hich  both 
recessed  and  projecting  arches  give  a  varied  outline.  Terraces 
and  covered  balconies  render  the  interior  of  the  house  more 
agreeable,  and  allow  sedentary  inhabitants  frequently  to  take  a 
little  exercise. 

We  might  multiply  examples  of  these  dwellings ;  but  we  must 
not  delay,  as  we  have  still  to  examine  at  least  one  public  hotel 
and  one  country-house. 

The  hotel  of  which  the  ground-plan  is  given  in  Fig.  121,  and 
the  plan  of  one  of  the  upper  stories  in  Fig.  120,  is  one  of  the 
second  rank.  It  is  not  intended  for  tourists  travelling  for  pleas- 
ure, who  are  accustomed  to  luxurious  dwelling-houses,  and  to 
whom  expense  is  of  secondary  importance.  Those  who  use  it 
are  either  commercial  travellers,  or  persons  living  in  the  en- 
virons, who  come  into  the  town  on  fair  or  market  days  on 
business. 

Eooms  for  reading  and  conversation  are  therefore  unnecessary. 
The  apartments  must  be  of  no  greater  dimensions  than  are  abso- 
lutely necessary.  They  must  be  convenient,  warm  in  winter, 
and  cool  in  summer.  Dressing-rooms  and  reception-rooms  would 
be  superfluous. 

Under  the  carriage  entrance,  which  is  enclosed  by  three  glazed 
doors,  intended  to  give  sufficient  light  while  they  protect  persons 
from  draught  as  they  enter  or  leave  their  vehicles,  is  the  lift, 
which  receives  the  luggage  at  once  from  the  roof  of  the  omni- 
bus, thus  sparing  the  servants  fatigue,  and  avoiding  the  incon- 
veniences of  carrying  heavy  articles  up  the  stairs.  By  the  side 
of  this  lift  is  the  entrance  to  the  hall,  and  on  the  left  the  lodge 


HANOVER. 


225 


Fig.  120.  —  Plan  of  First  Floor  of  Public  Hotel,  Hanover. 


Fig.  121.  —Ground-plan. 


1.  Carriage  entrance. 

2.  Front  door. 

3.  Porter's  lodge  and  lift  for  luggage. 

4.  Office. 

5.  Drawing-room. 

6.  Breakfast-room. 


7.  Table  d'hote. 

8.  Housekeeper's  room  and  store-room. 

9.  Bedrooms. 

10.  Dressing-rooms. 

11.  Balcony  on  ground-floor. 

12.  Ditto  on  first  floor. 


226  GERMANY 


of  the  porter,  who  plays  so  important  a  part  in  the  towns  of 
the  Xorth,  and  acts  as  a  special  providence  to  foreign  travellers. 
This  porter,  who  differs  entirely  from  our  concierges,  always 
speaks  German,  French,  and  English.  It  is  he  who  gives  all 
the  necessary  information  to  travellers,  sees  that  passports  are 
vised,  obtains  permission  for  residence  when  any  is  necessary, 
procures  cards  to  visit  museums  and  public  buildings,  and 
knows  the  hours  of  arrival  and  departure  of  trains,  diligences, 
and  steamboats. 

He  sells  also  French  cigars  and  photogTaphs,  keeps  samples 
of  articles  of  local  manufacture,  procures  couriers,  settles  dis- 
putes with  the  drivers  of  vehicles,  and  neglects  no  means  of 
obtaining  from  the  traveller  —  whether  or  no  he  is  willing  to 
bestow  them  —  all  kinds  of  gratuities. 

In  front  of  this  useful  functionary's  box  is  the  door  of  the 
office,  which  is  divided  into  two  parts ;  the  first  serves  as  a 
waiting-room  for  travellers,  the  second  for  the  money  depart- 
ment. After  these  come  four  rooms,  separate,  yet  connected 
with  each  other,  —  the  smoking-room,  where  the  newspapers  can 
be  read;  the  large  dining-room;  the  breakfast-room  (for  meals 
are  too  frequent,  and  follow  each  other  too  closely,  to  allow 
persons  who  wish  to  take  some  slight  refreshment  to  obtain  a 
place  at  the  table  dliote  in  the  large  room) ;  and  then,  facing 
this  smaller  room,  there  is  another,  of  the  same  form  and  dimen- 
sions, which  can  be  used  for  private  dinners,  and  in  which  the 
dessert  is  prepared,  the  meat  carved,  and  the  dishes  placed  when 
removed  from  the  oreneral  tables.  These  two  rooms  communi- 
cate  with  the  large  dining-room  (Fig.  122)  by  means  of  arches, 
which  can  be  closed  by  thick  hangings.  At  the  end  of  the  large 
room  there  is  a  recess  in  which  a  table  can  be  placed  when 
required,  and  where  persons  may  sit  while  w^aiting  for  the  din- 
ner hour.  The  office,  the  coffee-room,  and  the  small  dining- 
room  open  on  a  terrace,  on  which,  in  summer,  tables  are  placed 
for  those  who  may  feel  inclined  to  look  out  on  the  busy  streets 
while  they  take  their  meals. 


HANOVER. 


227 


228  GERMANY. 


The  stairs  turn  to  the  right,  with  a  large  landing  ornamented 
with  flowers ;  and  at  the  bottom  is  a  hall,  the  walls  of  which 
are  covered  with  maps  and  notice-boards  of  all  kinds.  To  the 
right  and  left  hand  are  two  turrets,  one  containing  two  closets, 
the  other  the  kitchen  stairs.  On  the  walls  are  maps,  useful 
notices  in  various  languages,  a  table  of  the  comparative  value 
of  money  in  different  countries,  and  a  complete  list  of  every- 
thing curious  and  worthy  of  notice  in  the  town. 

There  are  no  fireplaces ;  but  in  their  stead  are  large  earthen- 
w^are  stoves,  which  reach  from  the  ground  to  the  ceiling. 

The  furniture  of  the  bedrooms  is  simple,  but  very  neat  and 
well  kept :  a  wash-hand  stand,  a  chest  of  drawers,  two  chairs, 
and  one  of  those  terrible  German  beds,  —  instruments  of  torture 
which  will  never  be  forgotten  by  one  who  has  been  condemned 
to  them  even  for  a  sino-le  nifrht. 

The  rooms  are  high-pitched,  the  ground-floor  is  15  feet  high, 
the  other  stories  13  feet  and  12 J  feet.  There  are  twenty-five 
bedrooms;  and  the  dining-rooms  would  be  too  large  for  such 
a  limited  number  of  travellers,  were  it  not  that,  besides  those 
in  the  house,  this  establishment  accommodates  many  persons 
coming  from  the  neighborhood  only  to  take  their  meals,  so  that 
it  serves  as  a  restaurant  for  a  great  many  inhabitants  of  the 
town. 

The  facade  resembles  those  which  we  have  already  described, 
and  our  sketch  (Fig.  123)  renders  any  further  notice  unneces- 
sary. The  building  is  constructed,  as  usual,  of  brick  and  stone, 
and  the  framework  of  wood,  with  the  exception  of  the  large 
covered  balcony,  the  supports  of  which  are  of  cast-iron,  and  its 
roof  of  wTought-iron. 

The  country-house,  the  ground-plan  of  which  we  give  in  Fig. 
124,  is  honored  with  the  name  of  a  chateau.  The  gTound-plan 
is  rather  wanting  in  regularity.  The  taste  and  wishes  of  the 
proprietor  have  perhaps  influenced  the  architect,  Mons.  Oppler, 
and  interfered  w^th  his  plans,  for  we  have  seen  many  of  his 
works  superior  to  this ;  yet  it  is  a  complete  example  of  a  mod- 


HANOVER.  229 


em  country  habitation  in  Germany,  and  as  such  is  worthy  of 
attention. 

The  arrangement  of  the  rooms  is  very  peculiar.     It  corre- 


Fig.  123.  —View  of  the  Facade. 


sponds  with  wants  very  different  from  our  own,  and  on  this  ac- 
count loses  much  of  its  interest  to  us.     As  to  the  facades  (Fig. 


230 


GERMANY. 


125),  they  have  too  strong  a  Teutonic  character  to  please  us; 
there  is  too  great  a  desire  for  novelty.  One  cannot  imagine 
what  motive  can  have  induced  them  to  erect  those  square  gables 
of  exaggerated  form,  with  so  many  arched  apertures,  through 


0  4  8  12  16M'=* 

Fig.  124.  —  Ground-plan  of  a  Country-house  in  the  Environs  of  Hanover. 


1.  Veranda. 

2.  Antechamber. 

3.  Dining-room. 

4.  Store-room, 

6.  Smoking-room. 


6.  Parlor. 

7.  Library. 

8.  Drawing-rooms 

9.  Oratory. 


which  the  outlines  of  the  roof  can  be  seen.  But,  in  spite  of 
these  defects,  we  are  struck  with  the  general  outline  when  we 
do  not  examine  the  details,  and  with  the  effect  produced  by  the 
many  projecting  parts,  which  indicate  externally  the  distribu- 
tion of  the  rooms  within. 


.^ 


E"  ruj>iASi^,j.c^fio' 


Fig.  125. 


HANOVER.  231 


The  building  is  constructed  with  conscientious  care.  The 
proportions  are  correct,  and  in  accordance  with  established 
rules.  The  height  of  the  stone  courses  corresponds  exactly 
with  an  entire  number  of  bricks,  without  rendering  any  con- 
trivance necessary  in  order  to  obviate  a  difficulty  of  this  kind, 
or  ever  showing  a  loup  or  wolf  ^  in  the  facings. 

Great  care  in  the  employment  of  materials,  as  well  as  regu- 
larity and  scientific  knowledge,  are  usually  shown  in  German 
buildings,  and  constitute  one  of  their  chief  merits ;  and  for  this 
reason  we  dwell  on  this  important  matter,  which  is  too  fre- 
quently neglected  in  our  modern  structures. 

All  the  dwelling-houses  which  we  have  described,  and  which 
are  only  examples  chosen  from  among  a  great  number,  have 
excellences  and  defects  in  common,  on  which  it  was  necessary 
to  make  some  observations.  They  are  adapted  to  the  tastes,  the 
wants,  and  the  social  habits  of  the  persons  for  whom  they  are 
intended.  They  vary  according  to  the  position,  the  profession, 
and  the  fortune  of  their  proprietors.  We  have  not  been  able, 
in  these  notes  of  our  travels,  to  enter  into  details  which  would 
have  become  tedious,  or  to  give  a  greater  number  of  examples 
in  support  of  our  observations,  since  time  would  have  failed  us. 
We  could  not  give  sketches  of  houses  adapted  to  certain  pro- 
fessions ;  one  for  a  physician,  for  example,  with  a  special  ante- 
chamber, a  consultation-room  with  two  distinct  entrances,  the 
whole  being  separate  from  the  family  apartments.  We  should 
have  liked  to  describe  fully  a  certain  architect's  offices,  contain- 
ing a  large  lofty  room,  with  a  gallery  midway  towards  the  ceil- 
ing serving  as  a  library,  and  cases  filled  with  architectural 
models ;  there  are  tables  for  daily  work  and  a  retired  bay,  where 
one  could  study  of  an  evening  calmly  and  quietly.  At  the  side 
is  a  separate  room,  intended  for  the  reception  of  clients  and  con- 
tractors, and  there  is  convenient  communication  between  these 
offices  and  the  family  apartments,  the  entrance  to  which   is 

^  A  French,  workman's  phrase,  signifying  an  imperfection  in  the  construction. 
—  Tr. 


232  GERMANY, 


separate.  If  we  had  noticed  all  tliese  houses  we  must  have 
sketched  half  the  city  of  Hanover. 

In  all  these  buildings  no  space  is  lost.  The  staircases,  which 
are  fully  in  sight,  are  easy  of  ascent,  and  have  wide  and  low 
steps  turning  to  the  right  hand,  and  the  landings  are  decorated 
with  flowers.  The  apartments  correspond  with  the  importance 
of  the  house,  and  the  social  or  secluded  habits  of  the  inhabitants. 
Thus  there  is  often  no  drawing-room,  it  being  considered  un- 
necessary for  quiet  people  of  moderate  fortune ;  but  then  the 
dining-room  is  very  large,  and  the  family  live  there,  thus  saving 
fire  and  lamps.  The  same  character  of  economy  and  foresight  is 
shown  in  the  facades.  The  front  is  not  covered  with  a  costly 
coating  of  plaster,  which  is  expensive  to  repair;  there  is  no 
cement  facing  loaded  with  very  perishable  mouldings,  and  no 
widely  projecting  cornices  covered  with  sculptures  executed  in 
very  bad  taste,  and  with  gutters  formed  of  imitation  stone, 
through  which  the  water  percolates  to  the  inside  of  the  walls. 
But,  instead  of  these,  there  are  level  fronts  made  of  bricks,  so 
laid  that  the  outline  of  the  materials  is  clearly  displayed,  with  a 
cornice,  or  rather  a  simple  projecting  coping,  supported  on  cor- 
bels. Above  this  there  is  a  wide  zinc  gutter,  a  complete  passage 
round  the  roof  to  facilitate  repairs.  There  is  no  fear  of  infiltra- 
tion to  the  walls;  it  is  easy  to  examine  the  roof,  and  conse- 
quently it  is  better  kept  in  order.  There  is  economy  both  in 
the  original  construction  and  in  the  subsequent  attention  which 
it  may  require. 

Yet,  in  order  to  carry  out  the  views  which  prevailed  in  the 
construction  of  these  houses,  some  improvements  might  perhaps 
have  been  made.  Thus  for  persons  of  moderate  fortunes,  kitch- 
ens placed  under  ground  are  inconvenient.  It  is  impossible  to 
have  servants  on  every  story  at  the  same  time ;  the  frequent 
journeys  up  and  down  the  stairs  are  trying  to  them,  and  take 
up  much  of  their  time.  The  mistress  of  the  house  is  less  able 
to  have  its  arrangements  under  her  own  eye ;  it  entails  upon  her 
gi^eater  fatigue,  and  she  involuntarily  hesitates  at  going  up  or 


HANOVER.  233 


down  the  stairs,  when  she  would  willingly  cross  a  passage. 
Whoever  is  acquainted  with  a  German  household  and  the  eco- 
nomical princijDles  which  govern  it,  will  understand  the  impor- 
tance of  this  observation.  There  is  another  important  matter. 
The  principal  rooms  are  large  and  well  ventilated,  but  necessary 
conveniences  are  ^vanting.  The  closets  are  insufficient  or  too 
few  in  number ;  the  modern  requirements  of  a  large  house  ex- 
pect these  to  be  placed  near  the  principal  bedchambers,  as  well 
as  a  bathroom  and  dressing-room.  Germans,  it  is  true,  are  more 
easily  satisfied  than  we  are.  They  are  more  simple  in  their 
habits,  and  are  not  accustomed  to  the  refinements  of  our  civili- 
zation, and  to  the  necessaries  which  administer  to  our  comfort. 
So  much  for  the  interiors. 

On  the  outside,  as  we  have  already  said,  the  fac^ades  are  too 
complicated.  Both  in  public  edifices  and  private  buildings,  they 
strive  after  exaggerated  and  unusual  effects.  These  are,  in  fact, 
the  expression  of  the  characteristics  of  the  German  mind,  which 
imitates,  lays  a  stress  upon,  and  draws  attention  to  delicacy  and 
elegance  of  language,  yet  cannot  comprehend  tliem.  The  details 
are  heavy,  forced,  and  pretentious  in  execution. 

It  may  be  said  that  this  is  a  matter  of  personal  taste,  on  which 
it  is  impossible  to  give  a  decided  opinion,  resting  on  a  firm  and 
incontestable  basis.  A  Frenchman,  for  instance,  could  never 
persuade  a  German  that  the  latter  wants  taste,  and  that  his  own 
ideas  are  preferable.  The  reasons  which  each  one  advances  to 
support  his  own  opinion  are  the  same  ;  they  may,  with  the  same 
success,  be  used  on  each  side,  and  therefore  it  is  impossible  for 
either  to  be  convinced. 

One  of  those  foolish  remarks  on  this  subject,  which  are  con- 
stantly repeated  in  every  country,  is,  "that  artistic  education 
should  be  made  to  agree  with  the  public  taste."  This  signifies, 
on  the  part  of  the  artist,  that  he  ought  to  impose  upon  the  pub- 
lic his  peculiar  tastes,  which  are  superior  to  all  others ;  and,  on 
the  part  of  the  public,  that  the  artist  should  be  compelled  to 
produce  nothing  but  that  which  pleases  the  said  public,  who  are 


234  GERMANY 


better  judges  thau  any  one  else  of  their  requirements  and  desires. 
We  may  also  remark  that  French,  English,  German,  Italian  ar- 
tists, and  others,  all  wish  to  reform  the  public  taste,  —  that  is  to 
say,  to  impose  upon  it  their  own,  —  and  not  only  do  these  vari- 
ous tastes  differ,  but  they  are  destructive  of  each  other.  There- 
fore, although  there  exists  a  standard  of  measure,  the  metre,  to 
which  reference  can  be  made  in  case  of  disagreement,  no  one  has 
yet  invented  a  standard  of  taste,  so  that  every  one  persists,  and 
will  still  persist,  in  his  own,  and  in  the  conviction  that  it  is  far 
superior  to  that  of  his  neighbor. 

Now  that  we  have  examined  the  Hanoverian  houses  with  ref- 
erence to  their  construction,  we  must  pay  attention  to  their  fur- 
niture, and  internal  decoration,  in  which  respect  they  are  well 
worthy  of  notice. 

In  France  the  interior  and  exterior  of  our  houses  bear  little 
relation  to  each  other,  which  is  explained  by  the  simple  reason 
that,  being  but  rarely  the  owners  of  the  house  in  which  we  live, 
we  cannot  modify  our  furniture  at  every  change  of  residence. 
Besides,  these  discrepancies  unfortunately  do  not  shock  us.  We 
have  no  objection  to  a  Eenaissance  house  with  furniture  and 
decorations  belonging  to  another  period,  or  to  Moorish  apart- 
ments with  Gothic  furniture,  or  that  of  the  age  of  Louis  XV. 
The  exaggerated  fondness  for  knick-knacks  at  the  present  time 
has  favored  and  justified  this  strange  eclecticism.  These  incon- 
gruities are  not  so  readily  accepted  in  England  and  Germany,  for 
there  the  style  adopted  in  the  facade  of  a  house  is  usually  fol- 
lowed in  the  interior.  In  a  w^ord,  if  the  fronts  of  houses  that  we 
have  seen  there  are  Gothic,  the  interiors  are  in  the  same  style, 
and  the  furniture  has  some  of  the  characteristics  and  remem- 
brances of  the  Middle  Ages,  —  souvenirs  which  are  shown  not 
so  much  in  forms  modified  and  adapted  to  the  wants  which  they 
are  intended  to  satisfy,  as  in  the  application  of  principles  which 
have  guided  the  study  and  adaptation  of  these  forms. 

The  people  of  the  North,  so  skilful  in  all  carpentry-work,  are 
not  less  so  in  the  manufacture  of  furniture.     They  know  per- 


HANOVEE 


235 


■0  50  '  i  MV 

rig.  126.  —  Siirfexie  and  Section  of  a  Panelled  Ceiling,  Hanover. 

fectly  well  how  to  give  to  all  kinds  of  wood  those  forms  which 
correspond  to  its  nature  and  the  purpose  for  which  it  is  intended. 


236 


GERMANY 


yyy^^ 


Fig.  127.  —  Surface  and  Section  of  Panelled  Ceiling. 


Timber  is  still  plentiful  in  Northern  Germany,  and  it  lias  sup- 
plied builders  with  materials  which  they  have  so  happily  em- 


Fig.  128. —Chimney-piece. 


HANOVER.  239 


ployed  in  the  decorations  and  furniture  of  their  dwelling-houses. 
As  German  masons  have  respect  to  the  value  and  nature  of  the 
stone  ^Yhich  they  employ  in  their  buildings,  so  do  their  cabinet- 
makers study  the  value  and  nature  of  wood.  They  employ  it 
according  to  its  characteristics  and  qualities,  avoiding  useless 
■waste  and  large  curved  portions  which  interfere  with  the  grain 
of  the  wood ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  they  always  form  combina- 
tions with  it  in  the  direction  of  the  fibres,  and  so  preserve  all  its 
strength.  As  to  the  taste  shown  in  the  execution  of  this  kind 
of  work,  the  reader  must  judge  for  himself 

Thus,  instead  of  our  plaster  ceilings,  —  which  conceal  the 
timber  and  lessen  its  duration,  which  are  subject  to  cracks  and 
crevices  which  cannot  be  avoided,  and  require  continual  atten- 
tion and  expensive  repairs,  —  they  have  constructed  panelled 
ceilings,  of  which  Figs.  126  and  127  afford  two  examples. 
These  ceilings  seem,  at  first,  to  remind  one  very  strongly  of 
those  of  the  Town  Hall  at  Augsburg,  and  the  Presle  mansion  at 
Nuremberg.  They  are  not,  therefore,  interesting  in  respect  of 
originalit)^,  but  of  very  ingenious  adaptation. 

The  ceilings  of  public  buildings  of  the  twelfth  and  thirteenth 
centuries  consisted  only  of  bare  joists  resting  by  each  extremity 
on  a  wall ;  or,  if  the  distance  was  too  great,  on  an  intermediate 
beam.  There  were  few  or  no  openings  in  the  walls  to  receive 
them,  but  corbels  inserted  in  the  masonry  to  support  the  ends 
of  the  beams.  The  edges  were  chamfered,  the  intervals  and 
projecting  parts  were  painted,  and  sparingly  decorated.  In  the 
fourteenth  and  fifteenth  centuries  these  primitive  arrangements 
were  transformed  and  enriched.  The  beams  were  placed  so  as 
to  form  panels  and  compartments  ornamented  with  carving 
and  painting;  and  at  last  the  decoration  assumed  the  prin- 
cipal feature,  being  distinct  from  the  timber- work  to  which  it 
was  affixed,  and  thus  ceasing  to  be  an  integral  part  of  the  struc- 
ture. 

The  ceilings  represented  in  Figs.  126  and  127  are,  as  we  have 
said,  copies   from   fourteenth-century   models,  and   in    reality 


240 


GERMANY. 


present  only  the  lower  face  of  the  boards,  thus  showing  plainly 
the  nature  of  the  construction  which  they  embellish.  In  the 
ceiling  (Fig.  126)  the  panelling  is  attached  to  the  lower  surface 
of  the  joists ;  in  Fig.  127  it  is  supported  by  furring  nailed  along 
each  principal  and  cross  beam.  The  carvings  are  in  solid  wood, 
and  the  gi^ound-work  of  the  panels  rests  on  planks  cut  so  as  to 
give  them  the  necessary  projection ;  our  sketches  show  the  plan 
of  construction.  Above  these  large  girders  are  joists  of  suffi- 
cient thickness  to  support  the  upper  floor,  and  to  fill  up,  in 
certain  parts,  the  intervals  between  the  beams.     The  height  of 


Fig.  129.  — Sofa  TaWe. 


the  room  in  which  these  ceilings  are  placed  is  18  feet,  which 
accounts  for  the  outlines  being  so  bold  and  the  carvings  so 
decided.  As  to  the  price  of  these  ceilinsrs,  it  is  somewhat  high, 
the  square  foot  costing  2  J  thalers  (about  9  s.  4d.). 

The  chimney-piece  (Fig.  128)  stands  in  a  large  vaulted  hall 
of  octagonal  form.  It  is  made  of  white  sandstone  and  polished 
serpentine.  By  means  of  a  combination  of  colors  which  cannot 
be  seen  in  our  sketch,  the  union  of  stone  and  marble  of  different 
tints  gives  the  colors  of  the  armorial  bearings  of  the  proprietor, 
whose  scutcheon  is  i)laced  over  the  mantel-piece.     The  table 


HANOVER. 


241 


(Fig.  129)  is  intended  to  stand  before  a  sofa  in  a  drawing-room. 
The  dimensions  of  its  various  parts  may  perhaps  appear  exag- 
gerated, when  compared  with  those  of  our  modern  furniture; 
but,  on  the  other  hand,  they  increase  its  firmness  and  durability. 
The  legs  spread  out  at  the  end,  by  means  of  an  oblique  arrange- 
ment, which  gives  greater  support  and  steadiness  to  the  upper 
part.  The  Ijraces  and  cross-pieces,  which  connect  the  extremi- 
ties, are  rather  high,  in  order  to  prevent  persons  placing  their 


i 


AiZK/tW.fC> 


_^>^^^'^^^^^^'^'^  2><^''^^'^^^^^^''^-  Jx'*^-^-"'^^^    ^.  TO/XAiZJe. 

Fig.  130.  —  Table  with  Cupboard  below. 

feet  upon  them,  contact  with  which  injures  them  so  rapidly. 
This  precaution  may  appear  trivial,  but  it  is  the  mark  of  a 
practical  and  thoughtful  mind.  This  table  in  walnut  wood  cost 
65  thalers  (about  9  I.  16  s.). 

Another  table  (Fig.  130)  may  at  the  same  time  serve  as  a 
cupboard  in  the  lower  part.  It  is  made  of  oak,  and  copied  from 
an  old  engraving  of  the  fourteenth  century,  from  Ramerstof.     So 


242 


GERMANY, 


true  it  is,  that  in  small  things  as  well  as  great,  the  Germans 
prefer  to  copy  rather  than  originate. 

The  "what-not"  (Fig.  131)  is  intended  to  hold  albums  or 
curiosities.     It  is  made   of  oak;  hut  its  supports,  which  are 


Fig.  131.— What-not. 


rather  hea^^,  and  its  prominent  carvings,  render  it  unsuitable 
for  a  drawing-room.     It  cost  32  thalers  (4/.  16  s.). 

The  bedstead  (Fig.  132)  is  entirely  in  red  deal  (pitch-pine), 
which  possesses  the  great  advantage  of  never  being  attacked  by 


HANOVER. 


243 


244 


GERMANY. 


Fig.  133.  —  WaJnnt-wood  Cupboard. 

vermin.^     Excepting  the  angles,  wliicli  are  canned,  all  the  rest 

1  This  kind  of  wood  is  used  in  Alsace  for  a  similar  purpose  and  for  the  same 
reason. 


HANOVER 


245 


Fig.  134.  —  "Walnut- wood  Bureau. 


of  the  decorations  are  painted  and  varnished,  for  the  sake  of 
cleanliness.  The  price  of  this  bedstead,  exclusive  of  the  paint- 
ing, is  30  thalers,  equivalent  to  41.  8  5. 


246 


GERMANY 


Fig.  135.  — Bookcase. 


The  cuplDoard  (Fig.  133)  differs  from  the  preceding  articles 
of  furuiture,  and  those  which  follow,  in  the  quiet  character  of 


HANOVER. 


247 


its  ornaments.     The  hinge-plates  on  the  doors  are  of  polished 
iron,  and  the  wood  employed  is  American  walnut. 

The  bureau  (Fig.  134)  is  an  article  of  furniture  of  a  very 
complicated  construction,  and  is  intended  for  a  lady's  use.  The 
wood  employed  is  also  American  walnut ;  the  metal- work,  which 
is  very  rich,  is  polished  iron.     The  scrolls  repeat  the  letter  E, 


"^■"hoj^t^/if'ii 


Fig.  136.  —  Ann-chair. 


the  owner's  initial.  The  figure  placed  at  the  top  represents 
Albert  Durer.  This  bureau  is  too  richly  ornamented ;  there  is 
a  want  of  simplicity,  and  of  that  which  is  highly  necessary  in 
every  bureau,  sufficient  room  for  work.  In  the  midst  of  the 
many  partitions,  drawers,  and  doors,  there  is  scarcely  room  to 


248 


GEEMANY. 


hold  a  sheet  of  paper.  This  biu^eau  cost  160  thalers  (24/.), 
which  is  rather  dear. 

The  bookcase  (Fig.  135)  has  perhaps  the  same  defects,  but 
this  is  atoned  for  by  an  arrangement  which  allows  it  to  be 
adapted  to  the  circular  form  of  the  room  in  which  it  stands, 
since  the  two  wings  can  be  placed  obliquely. 

The  chairs  (Figs.  136,  137,  and  138)  are  in  oak  or  walnut; 


Fig.  137.  —Chair. 

the  arm-chairs,  without  the  covers,  cost  50  thalers  (about  7/.  9  s.). 
In  order  to  avoid  the  usual  manner  of  connecting  the  back  of 
the  chair  and  the  hind  legs,  the  designer  (Mons.  Oppler,  the 
architect)  has  obtained  the  necessary  inclination  for  the  back 
by  causing  the  framework  to  go  down  to  the  middle  of  the  hind 
legs,  which  are  placed  at  a  more  oblique  angle  than  those  in 
front. 

This  idea,  which  is  very  simple  and  ingenious,  is  also  applied 


HANOVER 


249 


to  the  construction  of  common  chairs,  which  are  thus  more 
steady  than  ours,  the  legs  of  which  are  united  with  the  back  at 
the  level  of  the  seat,  and  they  are  more  comfortable  than  those 
with  upright  backs.  The  price  of  common  chairs  is  2  J  thalers 
(about  Ss.). 

Fig.  139  represents  a  bracket,  intended  to  be  iixed  against 
a  wall  to  support  a  statuette,  or  any  other  work  of  art  which 
stands  out  in  relief  against  the  background  of  velvet.     A  looking- 


Fig.  138.  -  Chair. 


glass  is  often  substituted  for  the  velvet,  and  serves  as  a  re- 
flector for  a  lamp  placed  in  front  of  it. 

These  articles  of  furniture  resemble  joiners'  rather  than  cabi- 
net-makers' work.  They  are  really  strongly  made,  and  their 
construction  is  well  planned  and  executed.  The  wood  is  of  fine 
quality,  well  cut  according  to  the  grain,  with  sharp  and  well- 
defined  sides  and  edges.     The  joints  are  made  with  the  greatest 


250  GERMANY. 


care,  always  fastened  with  wooden  pegs,  without  any  parts  let 
into  each  other  or  nailed.  There  is  no  veneering  or  gluing.  On 
the  contrary,  the  mouldings  and  carvings  are  cut  out  of  the  solid 
wood;  but  there  is  often  a  deficiency  of  grace  and  elegance  in 
the  workmanship.  The  general  effect  is  heavy,  clumsy,  and 
massive,  and,  when  they  do  not  copy  ancient  models,  there  are 
often  defects  in  the  proportions. 


Fig.  139.  —  Bracket. 

Having  now  visited  the  different  public  buildings,  and  seen 
the  exteriors  and  interiors  of  the  houses  of  Hanover,  there  re- 
mains nothing,  before  we  go,  except  to  add  a  few  words  respect- 
ing modern  German  Gothic. 

The  Germans,  as  we  have  already  said,  have  never  had  any 
architecture  peculiar  to  themselves ;  they  take  their  ideas  from 
the  buildings  of  foreign  countries,  and  copy  those  of  past  ages. 


HANOVER.  251 


The  types  of  Gothic  architecture  which  they  possess  are  far 
inferior  to  the  magnificent  examples  of  the  Middle  Ages  to  be 
found  in  France ;  and  they  did  not  dream  of  reviving  this  style 
in  Germany  till  after  the  appearance  of  those  buildings  which 
were  the  results  of  our  first  archaeological  studies,  which,  twenty- 
five  years  ago,  led  us  to  regard  with  honor  edifices  till  then  con- 
sidered rude  and  barbarous.  They  followed  in  our  steps,  profit- 
ing by  our  attempts,  our  studies,  and  our  faults ;  translating  into 
their  language,  without  compunction,  extracts  from  our  works, 
in  order  to  apply  the  results  of  our  researches.  And  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  German  who  built  the  cathedral  at  Coloi^ne  knew 
and  imitated  those  of  Amiens,  Beauvais,  and  Troyes,  so  modern 
Germans,  finding  in  a  neighboring  country  information,  hints, 
and  formulae  ready  to  their  hand,  have,  with  great  skill  and 
much  success,  ajDpropriated  to  themselves  all  that  could  be 
useful  and  profitable.  But  while,  amongst  ourselves,  the  ar- 
chitects of  the  Gothic  school  limited  their  works  to  the  resto- 
ration of  ancient  buildings  and  to  the  construction  of  churches, 
the  Germans,  on  the  contrary,  went  farther,  and  following 
out  the  ideas  which  they  had  received,  erected  ecclesiastical 
and  civil  structures,  both  public  and  private,  said  to  be  Gothic, 
in  which,  while  they  respected  the  fundamental  principles  of 
the  logical  reasoning  which  had  served  as  a  basis  and  starting- 
point,  they  varied  the  forms  and  multiplied  their  combina- 
tions, so  as  to  obtain  different  results,  and  to  carry  out  va- 
ried plans  suited  to  all  the  requirements  of  public  and  private 
life. 

Their  want  of  imagination  in  works  of  art  was  of  service  in- 
stead of  hindrance  to  them  in  the  laborious  task  from  which 
they  derived  such  excellent  results.  Being  cold  and  conscien- 
tious reasoners,  they  did  not  allow  themselves  to  be  carried 
too  far,  Not  overstepping  the  bounds  of  nature,  while  trust- 
ing to  their  taste  and  skill,  they  have  hitherto  avoided  excesses 
and  exaggerations  into  which  others,  as  the  English  for  in- 
stance, have  fallen,  while  following  the  same  path.     The  Syna- 


252  GERMANY. 


gogue,  the  goods  station  at  the  railway,^  the  Gymnasium,  and 
most  of  the  houses  of  Hanover,  are  ilhistrations  of  what  we 
have  stated. 

As  to  our  influence  in  the  country,  it  is  hUent,  but  incontesta- 
ble;  facts  prove  it,  though  not  a  single  German  has  had  the 
good  taste  to  allow  or  own  it.  They  copy  our  architecture  and 
our  works  of  art,  they  act  our  plays  and  perform  our  musical 
compositions.  They  almost  all  know  our  language,  read  our 
literary  and  scientific  publications,  and  are  eager  for  articles  of 
Parisian  manufacture.  Their  women  ape  ours,  and  think  that 
they  resemble  them.  They  have  conquered  us,  and  yet  the  con- 
quered people  inspire  them  with  a  terror,  an  envy,  and  a  mean 
jealousy  which  they  can  neither  overcome  nor  conceal;  and 
the  phrase  "  to  live  like  a  God  in  France,"  has  passed  into  a  prov- 
erb, which  is  often  on  the  lips  of  the  people. 

If  they  know  us  so  well,  we,  on  the  contrary,  know  little  of 
them,  and  that  little  but  imperfectly.  On  our  return  from  one 
of  our  visits  to  Germany,  a  friend,  an  eminent  architect,  said 
to  us  one  day,  "  What  induced  you  to  go  to  that  country  ?  there 
is  nothing  to  be  seen  there,  not  a  single  public  building ;  there 
are  scarcely  any  railway-stations."  "We  then  showed  him  some 
of  our  sketches.  He  could  not  contain  himself,  made  a  hundred 
exclamations,  and,  like  a  true  Frenchman,  passing  from  one  ex- 
treme to  the  other,  he  declared  that  these  people  were  "  very 
clever,  cleverer  far  than  we  " ;  which  was  as  foolish  a  saying  as 
if  any  one  were  to  assert  that  the  reflected  ray  was  more  bright 
and  luminous  than  the  source  from  which  it  emanated. 

It  is,  unfortunately,  one  of  our  national  characteristics  to  yield 
too  readily  to  the  excitement  and  impressions  of  the  moment. 
Ever  since  the  misfortunes  which  have  befallen  us,  two  trains 
of  thought  and  feeling  have  been  manifested  among  us.  Some, 
filled  with  foolish  pride,  and  unwilling  to  acknowledge  either 

1  We  twice  endeavored  to  sketcli  the  goods  station,  but  each  time  we  were  inter- 
rupted and  expelled  in  a  manner  so  essentially  German,  that  we  did  not  think  it 
prudent  to  make  another  attempt. 


HANOVER.  253 


our  misfortunes  or  their  cause,  consider  themselves  greater  than 
before.  Others,  on  the  contrary,  giving  themselves  up  to  an 
exaggerated  humility,  have  too  low  an  opinion  of  themselves, 
and  think  their  adversaries  in  every  respect  superior.  We  must 
avoid  falling  into  either  of  these  opposite  extremes.  But,  with- 
out entering  into  considerations  foreign  to  the  scope  of  this  work, 
we  can  but  see  that  the  efforts  made  by  the  Germans  to  copy  us 
in  artistic  matters,  prove  that  we  have  excelled  them,  and  that 
they  have  been  our  imitators.  It  is  for  us  so  to  act  that  we  may 
maintain  this  position. 


254  GERMANY 


HAMBURG. 

FROM  HAARBURG  TO  HAMBURG.  —  THE  ELBE.  —  HAMBURG.  —  THE  ALSTER.  — 
THE  JUNGFERNSTIEG.  — THE  OLD  TOWN.  — THE  CONFLAGRATION  OF  1842.— 
THE  NEW  TOWN.  — THE  PUBLIC  BUILDINGS.  —  THE  HOUSES  AND  THEIR  IN- 
HABITANTS. 

FROM  Hanover  to  Hamburg  the  countr}^is  flat  and  unat- 
tractive. In  the  midst  of  a  large  sandy  plain  we  notice 
Zela,  whose  inhabitants  speak,  it  is  said,  the  purest  German,  but 
which  does  not  sound  to  us  on  that  account  sweeter  or  more 
melodious.  Then  we  come  to  Luneburg,  with  its  houses  with 
pointed  gables,  and  its  town-hall  full  of  artistic  curiosities,  the 
merit  of  which  has  been  greatly  exaggerated.  Happily,  the 
country  is  adorned  by  the  guard-houses  and  the  stations,  which 
are  by  the  side  of  the  line.  These  small  buildings  are  con- 
structed entirely  of  brick,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  blocks 
of  stone;  the  platforms  are  protected  by  sheds,  made  entirely 
of  plain  wood.  Climbing  plants  cling  here  and  there,  mount  to 
the  roof,  and  fall  in  rich  festoons,  covered  with  brilliant  flowers. 
A  fountain  is  playing  in  one  corner,  and  through  the  open  doors 
of  the  waiting-rooms  we  see  large  earthenware  stoves,  which 
mitigate  the  cold  in  winter,  and  the  stalls  of  the  refreshment- 
rooms  covered  with  provisions  and  large  glasses  of  sparkling  ale. 
These  refreshment-bars  play  an  important  part  in  the  stations 
of  German  railways,  and  all  are  provided  with  them.  They  are 
attacked  on  the  arrival  of  every  train,  and  the  formidable  appe- 
tite of  the  people  is  a  constant  source  of  astonishment  to  the 
foreign  traveller. 

We  leave  the  railway  at  Haarburg,  and  embark  on  the  Elbe 


HAMBURG.  255 


to  follow  it  as  far  as  Hamburo^.  This  is  the  most  interestinsr 
part  of  the  journey.  The  boat  at  first  descends  the  southern 
stream  of  the  Elbe,  and  then,  by  a  lateral  branch,  reaches  the 
northern  Elbe.  From  this  moment  we  perceive  Hamburg,  with 
its  steeples,  its  buildings  rising  in  the  form  of  an  amphitheatre, 
and  the  astonishing  activity  of  its  immense  harbor. 

First  we  reach  Altona,  formerly  the  second  city  of  Denmark, 
but  now  absorbed  into  the  Empire  of  Germany.  To  the  right 
is  the  large  island  of  Wilhelmburg,  across  w^hich  Marshal  Da- 
voust,  in  1813,  raised  a  causeway  to  connect  Haarburg  with 
Hamburg  by  means  of  a  bridge  of  boats.^  Boats  find  some 
difficulty  in  making  their  way  in  the  midst  of  the  enormous 
quantity  of  ships  with  which  the  river  is  covered,  and  among 
which  the  large  vessels  of  the  Hamburg  Company,  which  put 
in  at  Havre  on  their  passage  to  New  York,  occupy  the  first 
place.  Our  poor  little  steamer  was  obliged  to  stop  every  in- 
stant, and  to  back,  sometimes  almost  going  about,  in  order  to 
prevent  her  bow  getting  fouled;  and  at  times  being  scarcely 
able  to  proceed.  No  river  in  Europe  serving  as  a  port  to  a 
large  city,  with  the  exception  of  the  Thames  in  London  and  the 
Clyde  at  Glasgow,  can  give  one  an  idea  of  this  state  of  confusion, 
—  this  incessant  and  ever- varying  bustle. 

Large  vessels  laden  with  emigrants  are  just  beginning  their 
long  voyage,  escorted  by  boats  full  of  friends  and  relations  who 
wish  to  bid  them  farewell;  the  men  may  be  seen  clinging  to 
the  nettings  and  waving  their  hands,  the  women  weeping  and 
holding  their  children  above  their  heads  to  let  them  have  a 
last  look  at  their  native  land,  which,  for  the  most  part,  they 
will  never  see  again.  The  officers  of  a  man-of-war  are  going 
ashore  in  a  twelve-oared  cutter.  It  flies  over  the  water,  regard- 
less of  all  the  boats  that  are  in  its  way.  We  pass  close  by  a 
magnificent  iron-clad  frigate ;  the  sailors  are  in  the  rigging,  sing- 

1  These  works  have  been  since  destroyed  ;  and  until  the  bridges  and  the  rail- 
way,  now  in  course  of  construction,  are  finished,  they  have  stationed  here  steam 
ferry-boats  of  sufficient  dimensions  to  receive  six  carriages  of  full  size. 


256  GERMANY 


ing  one  of  those  old  airs  whose  monotonous  melody  is  heard  in 
every  sea.  Fishermen  are  tacking  out  to  sea,  for  the  season  is 
already  advanced,  and  the  lucrative  northern  fishery  will  soon 
commence.  Some  little  coasting  vessels,  laden  till  they  are 
ready  to  sink,  are  passing  up  the  river  made  fast  to  a  tug,  and 
seeking  a  convenient  place  to  unload.  We  are  proceeding  very 
slowly ;  but  the  scene  which  passes  before  our  eyes  is  so  varied, 
so  picturesque,  so  full  of  life  and  color,  that  we  feel  that  we 
have  no  reason  to  complain.  And  now  we  no  longer  look  around 
us,  but  forward,  and  try  to  make  out  the  large  city  which  stands 
out  so  massively  against  the  blue  sky.  Eising  above  our  heads 
is  a  terrace-walk,  passing  along  the  crest  of  an  eminence;  it 
is  the  extreme  point  of  the  enclosure  formed  by  a  network  of 
canals.  The  city  begins  to  show  itself:  first  come  the  high 
roofs  of  the  public  buildings,  which  rise  above  the  low,  narrow, 
filthy  houses  which  lie  along  the  quays.  As  we  draw  nearer, 
the  detg^ils  begin  gradually  to  appear ;  the  buildings  around  the 
harbor  are  black  and  dirty,  and  the  inhabitants  of  these  wretched 
hovels  resemble  them.  The  aspect  of  Hamburg,  as  seen  from 
the  river,  is  anything  but  attractive ;  we  would  fain  turn  back 
to  gaze  upon  the  moving  vessels  with  their  busy  crews,  and 
upon  the  outline  of  the  city  defined  against  the  horizon;  but 
our  trip  is  over.  We  land,  and  a  drosky  conveys  us  through  a 
labyrinth  of  miserable  streets  and  filthy  canals  to  the  magni- 
ficent quays  of  the  Alster,  where  in  our  astonishment  we  ask  if 
we  can  possibly  be  in  the  same  city,  of  which  we  had  a  glimpse 
but  a  moment  before. 

Night  came  on  before  we  had  walked  round  the  quays  of  the 
lesser  Alster,  known  under  the  sweet  names  of  "  Neue  uud  alte 
Jungfernstieg."  These  quays  are  lined  by  lofty  houses  (Fig. 
140),  five  stories  high,  almost  all  hotels  or  large  establisliments. 
The  shops  are  in  two  tiers;  those  underground,  in  which  live 
those  who  keep  restaurants  and  taverns,  and  dealers  in  eatables ; 
the  ground-floors,  raised  very  high  above  the  level  of  the  street, 
contain  shops  of  all  sorts,  brilliantly  lighted.     Crowds  of  people 


HAMBUKG 


257 


come  and  go,  and  everything  sliows  the  activity  of  a  great  city. 
A  number  of  persons  are  standing  before  a  large  placard  illus- 
trated in  the  English  fashion,  and  which  represents  two  people 
fighting  a  duel ;  above  this  is  a  woman  dressed  in  a  shroud,  and 


Fig.  140.  —  View  of  the  Alster  Quay,  Hamburg. 

laid  on  a  bier.  We  follow  the  current,  and  entei'  the  exhibition 
of  Jenkins  Brothers,  "  citizens  of  free  America."  At  the  moment 
that  w^e  took  our  seats  the  stage  was  occupied  by  the  persons 
represented  in  the  bills ;  they  were  clothed  in  an  odd  costume, 


258  GERMANY, 


the  one  being  dressed  like  a  Hungarian,  and  the  other  in  a  sort 
of  pelisse  resembling  that  of  a  Eussian  peasant.  They  clash 
their  sabres  against  each  other  with  looks  as  terrible  as  their 
blows.  After  a  short  time  and  many  attempts,  the  Hungarian 
gives  his  adversary  a  severe  cut  through  his  sleeve ;  the  Imnd 
of  the  Eussian,  dropping  the  sword,  rolls  down  to  the  middle  of 
the  stage  before  the  horrified  spectators.  Blood  flows  from  the 
wrist  in  large  drops,  and  stains  the  floor;  the  wounded  man 
turns  pale,  and  falls.  They  rush  to  him,  and  carry  him  off, 
while  the  Hungarian,  picking  up  the  hand  of  his  opponent, 
waves  it  over  his  head,  showing  the  contracted  fingers,  the  blue 
nails,  and  the  bleeding  wound ;  it  is  a  hideous  sight.  The  stage 
remains  vacant  for  a  few  minutes,  till  the  two  antagonists  return, 
show  their  four  hands  uninjured,  bow  to  the  company,  and  the 
curtain  falls. 

When  it  rises  again,  there  is  nothing  on  the  stage  but  a  box 
of  oblong  form  and  dismal  appearance,  the  sight  of  which  in  such 
a  place  makes  a  painful  impression.  When  the  spectators  have 
had  time  to  contemplate  this  sight,  and  their  emotion  is  suffi- 
ciently excited,  a  man  enters,  dressed  in  black  with  a  white  neck- 
cloth, armed  with  a  hammer,  and  with  his  hand  full  of  nails. 
He  opens  the  box,  which  resembles  a  coffin,  turns  it  all  round, 
strikes  it  on  all  sides,  and  invites  those  present  to  examine  and 
see  that  it  is  fastened  tightly  together. 

During  this  preliminary  operation  a  fresh  personage,  a  woman, 
makes  her  appearance,  dressed  in  a  winding-sheet,  which  covers 
her  from  head  to  foot,  and  fits  closely  to  her  body.  She  places 
herself  in  the  coffin,  and  her  companion  carefully  nails  down  the 
lid ;  then  he  spreads  over  it  a  black  pall,  covered  with  white 
spots  resembling  tears,  and,  having  done  this,  he  retires. 

We  looked  on  with  much  astonishment,  not  understanding 
the  whole  proceeding,  and  unable  to  guess  what  was  about  to 
happen,  when  the  coffin  suddenly  begins  to  tremble,  the  dead- 
alive  struggles,  and  begs,  as  well  as  she  can,  to  be  released  from 
her  prison.     At  first  there  are  nothing  but  dull  sounds;  then 


HAMBURG.  259 


you  hear  her  heels  beating  against  the  sides  of  the  coffin,  and 
the  head  moving  up  and  down  in  despair ;  the  hands  endeavor 
to  tear  with  their  nails  the  smooth  surface  of  the  wood :  the 
most  frightful  silence  reigns  in  the  hall ;  you  may  imagine  that 
you  hear  the  panting  breath  of  the  woman  thus  struggling  be- 
tween four  boards ;  then  cries  of  fear  are  heard  among  the  spec- 
tators, wliich  are  instantly  hushed.  But  the  movement  of  the 
coffin  becomes  more  sudden  and  violent ;  it  rolls  about,  shaken 
by  the  poor  creature  supposed  to  be  in  such  fearful  convulsions, 
and  struggling  in  her  anguish,  a  pre}^  to  terror  and  fright.  We 
seem  to  see  her,  wdth  her  writhing  and  bleeding  limbs,  dashing 
herself,  without  a  moment's  cessation,  against  the  walls  that  con- 
fine her ;  she  loses  her  senses,  she  sees  nothing,  feels  nothing 
now ;  there  is  not  sufficient  air  for  her  to  breathe ;  her  strength 
is  exhausted,  and  her  cries  are  stifled.  Then  the  movements 
become  less  rapid ;  they  cease  for  a  while,  only  to  recommence 
with  greater  energy  and  courage ;  then  all  is  quiet  again ;  tlie 
dismal  box  shakes  for  the  last  time,  and  all  is  over.  They  throw 
the  pall  over  the  coffin  again,  and  carry  it  away  not  a  moment 
too  soon.  What  a  nightmare  it  seemed !  but  the  movement 
given  to  the  coffin  by  a  person  thus  enclosed  within  four  planks 
of  wood,  and  without  space  to  move  and  throw  about  her  limbs, 
must  be  a  very  difficult  gymnastic  feat. 

Fortunately,  to  revive  our  spirits  a  young  girl  appeared,  ex- 
tremely pretty,  but  so  lightly  clad  that  one  knew  not  whether 
she  were  about  to  dress,  or  had  just  finished  undressing.  She 
was  well  formed,  however,  and  took  no  pains  to  conceal  it.  She 
advanced  timidly,  with  downcast  looks  and  trembling  voice ; 
her  beautiful  eyes  scarcely  dared  to  glance  around.  This  be- 
havior contrasted  so  strangely  with  her  dress,  that  we  asked  our- 
selves, as  in  the  preceding  scenes,  what  was  about  to  take  place. 
The  heroine  crosses  the  stage,  and  sings,  in  French  it  was  said, 
and  we  suppose  it  was,  some  lines  from  the  "Belle  Helene." 
When  this  was  over,  she  turned,  and  found  herself  confronted 
by  a  person  in  the  fancy  costume  of  an  executioner  —  one  half 


2G0  GERMANY 


red,  and  the  other  black  —  who  seized  her  by  the  nape  of  the 
neck.  She  fell  gracefully  backwards,  and  he  stabbed  her  with  a 
poniard  in  the  breast.  The  blade  disappeared ;  the  executioner 
gave  it  a  slight  twist,  and  drew  it  out  again ;  the  blood  flowed, 
dveing^  the  white  robe  of  the  victim  who  fell,  with  her  hair 
dishevelled,  her  eyes  closed,  her  face,  her  arms,  her  breast,  and 
her  limbs  livid,  yet  still  exhibiting  in  her  fall  the  remarkable 
plasticity  of  her  frame. 

This  trick  was  less  successful  than  the  preceding ;  it  was  too 
evidently  seen  that  the  executioner,  while  twisting  his  dagger  in 
the  wound,  fixed  on  the  bosom  of  his  victim  an  adhesive  picture, 
intended  to  favor  the  deception ;  but  how  was  it  possible  to  pro- 
duce in  a  moment  such  decidedly  deathlike  hues  ? 

This  little  performance  satisfied  us,  and  we  did  not  care  to  wait 
for  the  conclusion  of  the  exhibition,  but  hastened  to  our  lodgings 
for  the  night.  Fatigued  with  our  voyage,  and  having  eaten  for 
supper  some  fowl  and  gooseberry  jam,  lying  on  a  German  bed, 
and  lulled  to  sleep  by  the  remembrance  of  the  scenes  which  we 
had  just  witnessed,  it  may  well  be  imagined  what  nightmares 
embellished  our  dreams,  and  how  often  the  foolish  saying  re- 
curred to  our  mind  till  we  were  inclined  to  curse  it,  "a  bad  night 
is  soon  over."  We  had,  however,  long  before  been  convinced  of 
the  contrary  fact,  that  a  good  rather  than  a  bad  night  seems  of 
short  duration. 

Early  the  next  morning  we  began  to  examine  the  labjTinth 
of  streets  which  compose  the  old  town.  Some  of  the  worst 
streets  of  Frankfort,  Genoa,  Xaples,  and  London  may  give  some 
idea  of  those  which  form  the  ancient  quarters  of  Hamburg,  and 
of  the  picturesque  appearance  of  all  these  houses  built  of  wood, 
with  their  tottering  gables  advancing  irregularly  one  over  the 
other  (Fig.  141). 

The  timbers  are  sharply  defined  on  the  brown  ground  of  the 
bricks  or  mud  with  which  the  framework  of  the  wall  is  filled 
in ;  they  are  sometimes  relieved  with  a  red  baud,  forming 
around  them  a  kind  of  frame.     These  houses  are  lofty,  for  land 


HAMBUEG. 


261 


has  always  been  dear  in  large  cities ;  they  have  sometimes  four 
and  even  six  stories.  The  dates  of  their  construction  are  ex- 
ceedingly various,  and  they  have  been  so  often  modified  and 
restored  that  they  possess  now  no  other  interest  than  as  objects 


Fig.  141.  —  An  old  Street  in  Hamburg. 

of   curiosity,  the  greatest  merit  of  which  is  their  undoubted 
antiquity. 

These  old  houses  are  found  everywhere,  along  the  sides  of 
narrow  streets  and  tortuous  canals;  they  all  have  gables  w^ith 
openings  through  which  the  light  can  be  seen,  narrow  windows, 


262  GERMANY. 


and  plastered  walls  falling  to  decay.  Not  one  of  tliem  resembles 
its  neighbor;  each  has  its  peculiar  appearance  and  different 
character,  and  one  is  never  tired  of  examining  them.  These 
quarters  are  often  the  scene  of  painful  incidents,  showing  no 
very  high  sense  of  moral  obhgation,  or  any  very  refined  taste  in 
those  who  are  connected  with  them.  Brutality,  desire  of  gain, 
and  roughness  of  manners  form  the  prevailing  characteristics. 

The  maritime  population  live  near  the  harbor  or  the  canals. 
Another  quarter  is  almost  exclusively  occupied  by  the  dwellings 
of  the  Jews,  who  are  very  numerous  at  Hamburg,  where  they 
carry  on  profitably  many  of  the  favorite  callings  of  their  race ; 
but,  throughout  all  the  ranks  of  their  social  life,  the  types  have 
remained  the  same.  And  on  the  thresholds  of  the  doors,  or 
through  the  panes  of  the  windows,  may  be  seen  beautiful  girls 
with  dark  hair,  white  teeth,  and  hooked  noses,  whose  profile 
resembles  that  attributed  by  tradition  to  Eachel  or  Samh. 

We  may  easily  understand  the  result  of  a  fire,  when  it  breaks 
out  in  these  hovels  of  worm-eaten  wood,  and  what  its  ravages 
w^ould  be  among  so  many  elements  so  well  suited  to  aid  in  the 
work  of  destruction;  and  we  may  imagine  what  the  terrible 
conflagration  of  1842  must  have  been.  "The  Great  Fire,"  as  it 
is  still  called  at  Hamburg  (where  this  event  occupies  so  impor- 
tant a  position  that  it  divides  the  history  of  the  town  into  two 
portions,  the  one  before  and  the  other  after  this  disaster),  was 
almost  as  terrible  as  that  of  which  London  was  the  victim  in 
1666. 

It  began  on  Thursday,  May  5.  There  was  a  report  that  a  fire 
had  broken  out  in  a  cigar  manufactory  in  Deichs-Strasse.  The 
devouring  element  soon  assumed  such  proportions  that  ordinary 
means  were  insufficient  to  resist  it.  There  had  been  a  month 
of  great  drought,  and  the  canals  were  dry.  On  the  first  day 
twenty-two  houses  were  consumed,  and  the  Church  of  St.  Nicho- 
las fell  into  the  flames  with  a  dreadful  crash ;  and  the  next  day 
the  sun  rose  over  an  ocean  of  fire,  throwing  far  around  a  shower 
of  ashes  and  sparks,  the  violence  of  which  increased  every  mo- 


HAMBURG.  263 


ment.  Cannons  were  employed  to  clear  a  space  around  the 
burning  houses;  but  through  the  violence  of  the  flames  the 
wind  blew  from  every  quarter,  and  changed  its  direction  every 
instant,  rendering  it  excessively  difficult  to  aj)proach  the  places 
that  were  attacked.  The  cries  of  the  terrified  crowd,  the  heart- 
rending scenes  that  occurred  in  all  directions,  prevented  aid 
being  given  with  sufficient  activity  and  authority  to  render  it 
effectual.  The  metal  ran  down  from  the  roofs,  covering  the 
spectators  with  a  shower  of  fire.  All  the  inflammable  mate- 
rials had  been  thrown  into  the  canals,  and  had  there  taken  fire, 
and,  like  a  river  of  flame,  carried  on  all  sides  fire  and  death. 
In  every  street  might  be  seen  vehicles  loaded  with  furniture  and 
valuable  effects,  mothers  rescuing  their  children ;  some,  who  had 
become  mad,  throwing  themselves  headlong  into  the  burning 
mass.  Then,  all  at  once,  there  arose  a  fearful  cry ;  the  tower  of 
St.  Peter's  Church  began  to  totter  on  its  foundations ;  its  bells, 
set  in  motion  by  the  action  of  the  fire,  tinkled  for  the  last  time, 
and  the  enormous  mass  was  overwhelmed  in  the  immense  fur- 
nace below.  On  the  same  day  the  Bank,  the  Old  Exchange, 
and  the  Town  Hall  were  destroyed. 

Assistance  came  from  every  quarter.  Altona,  Lubeck,  and 
Bremen  sent  provisions,  men,  and  troops.  On  the  7th  a  mer- 
ciful shower  of  rain  fell,  which  restored  courage  to  those  who 
were  employed  in  the  work  of  extinguishing  the  flames;  and 
finally,  on  Sunday,  the  8th,  the  fire  may  be  said  to  have  been 
got  under  control. 

It  had  lasted  three  days  and  three  nights,  —  had  destroyed 
sixty-one  streets  and  two  thousand  houses  (a  fourth  part  of  the 
city).  A  hundred  persons  had  perished ;  twenty  thousand  were 
reduced  to  poverty,  and  were  without  shelter.  The  loss  in 
money  was  estimated  at  one  hundred  millions  of  marks  banco 
(about  7,520,000  /.).  Subscription-lists  were  immediately  opened 
in  Europe  and  America  for  the  assistance  of  the  unfortunate  peo- 
ple who  were  thus  left  without  any  resources.  The  sum  obtained 
amounted  to  more  than  400,000  I. ;  and  thus  the  victims  of  this 


264 


GERMANY. 


frightful  disaster  were  enabled  to  procure  for  themselves  the 
indispensable  necessaries  of  life.  At  Hamburg  the  inhabitants 
engaged  to  raise  among  themselves  a  sum  of  2,000,000  /.  for  the 
rebuilding  of  the  town.  All  traces  of  this  calamity  have  now 
disappeared,  ^ew  buildings  have  arisen  instead  of  those  quar- 
ters that  w^ere  burnt.  These  are  built  of  stone,  erected  along 
wide,  well-planned,  and   well- ventilated  streets ;   the   noisome 


Fig.  142.— Flower-girL 


canals  are  arched  over ;  and  Hamburg  lays  greater  claims  than 
ever  to  be  "  the  finest  city  in  the  Xorth  of  Europe." 

"When  the  Exchange  is  closed,  and  the  day's  quotations  have 
been  telegraphed  to  the  whole  world,  the  business  day  is  over, 
and  that  of  pleasure  begins.  All  the  mercantile  and  laboring 
population  of  the  town  repair  to  the  Jungfernstieg,  which  at 
this  moment  exhibits  a  spectacle  of  which  the  Unter  den  Linden 
at  Berlin  and  the  Prater  of  Vienna  may,  to  a  certain  extent, 


HAMBURG.  265 


give  some  idea.  The  crush  is  great  under  the  trees  which  line 
the  Alster ;  cafes  established  in  small  tents  fill  rapidly ;  a  num- 
ber of  boys  bring,  on  pewter  trays,  refreshments  contained  in 
vessels  which  resemble  the  birettas  worn  in  our  churches.  Car- 
riages throng  the  road ;  the  promenaders,  among  whom  may  be 
seen  the  most  distinguished  of  the  demi-monde,  exhibit  gaudy 
costumes  in  extravagant  and  glaring  colors.  Among  the  wheels 
of  the  carriages  and  the  groups  of  promenaders  may  be  every- 
where seen  flower-girls  (Fig.  142)  in  a  singular  dress,  —  a  very 
short  red  petticoat  with  a  broad  green  border,  showing  a  great 
deal  of  a  leg  with  red  stockings,  and  feet  which  are  rendered  as 
narrow  as  possible  by  tight  shoes.  The  body  of  the  dress  and 
the  apron  are  violet,  and  the  arms  are  left  half  bare.  In  winter 
long  white  skin  gloves  reach  to  the  elbow  and  meet  the  sleeves. 
They  wear  on  the  head  a  straw  hat  which  strongly  reminds  of 
the  w^omen  of  the  Bay  of  Tourane  in  Cochin  China.  These 
young  girls,  who  are  not  overburdened  with  modesty,  accost 
unceremoniously  every  new-comer ;  fortunately  they  express 
themselves  in  German.  When  they  find  that  their  eloquence 
is  in  vain,  they  stick  a  rose  in  your  buttonhole,  and  then  de- 
mand a  few  groschen  with  an  importunity  which  is  soon  com- 
plied with. 

Workmen  who  are  enjoying  their  leisure  seat  themselves  at 
tables  by  the,  side  of  the  road,  smoking  and  drinking,  and  from 
time  to  time  venturing  some  rude  joke,  of  more  than  question- 
able taste,  on  some  w^oman  who  is  passing,  and  w^ho  replies  in 
the  same  strain,  without  being  disturbed,  and  without  any  hesi- 
tation. As  the  evening  advances  the  meal-time  arrives.  Then 
the  restaurants  are  filled ;  the  counters  are  covered  with  attrac- 
tive and  choice  eatables.  The  salmon  of  the  Elbe,  geese  from 
Stettin,  game  stuffed  with  prunes,  roast  beef  with  pears,  raw 
hams,  and  smoking  pies  are  displayed  on  the  refreshment-bars 
so  as  to  be  seen  from  without.  The  customer  can  judge  of  the 
resources  of  the  establishment  before  he  enters.  But  there  is 
no  exquisite  cookery,  —  none  of  those  choice  sauces,  the  glory 


266  GERMANY. 


of  French  chefs ;  but  quantity  and  solidity  are  substituted  for 
delicacy  and  skill. 

"When  once  they  have  taken  their  places  the  people  all  eat 
greedily,  with  their  elbows  on  the  table,  without  troubling 
themselves  about  the  glances  of  strangers,  who  are  very  numer- 
ous at  Hamburg,  and  who,  seated  by  their  side,  are  astonished 
to  see  them  satisfying  so  unreservedly  and  so  grossly  their  phys- 
ical wants.  They  shock,  though  unconsciously  no  doubt,  all 
the  instincts  of  elegance  and  delicacy  of  people  of  Latin  race. 
They  are  stolid,  heavy,  and  impolite.  Their  women  are  ignorant 
of  the  laws  and  resources  of  the  toilette;  they  know  neither 
how  to  make  a  bed  nor  prepare  a  dinner,  and  spoil  the  best 
things  by  mixing  them  in  a  manner  contrary  to  all  the  rules  of 
taste  and  reason;  they  have  no  idea  of  self-restraint,  so  that 
they  sometimes  forget  even  the  respect  due  to  themselves.  We 
have  been  often  told  that  this  arises  from  artlessness  and  sim- 
plicity. As  for  German  simplicity,  where  shall  we  find  it  ? 
These  people  are  utter  roues ;  we  have  seen  them  in  their  un- 
guarded moments,  alas  !  In  what  does  their  simplicity  consist  ? 
In  embracing  each  other  ridiculously  in  public  ?  Or  is  it  be- 
cause they  have  more  natural  children  than  any  other  nation  in 
Europe  ?  Or  because  they  hoard  the  few  crowns  which  they 
possess,  and  never  give  way  to  any  sentiment  which  will  not 
yield  them  either  advantage  or  profit? 

To-day  we  entered  a  school;  there  were  the  maps  on  the 
walls,  and  we  had  no  need  to  examine  them  to  know  what 
country  tliey  represented.  It  was  France,  with  its  rivers,  rail- 
ways, and  mountains.  There  were  references  to  printed  details 
of  the  nature  of  local  productions,  and  information  respecting 
the  means  of  communication  and  the  obstacles  which  might 
present  themselves. 

Opposite  to  these  was  a  large  map  showing  the  extent  of  the 
Empire  of  Germany,  with  the  Duchies,  Hanover,  Saxony,  Alsace, 
Lorraine,  Bavaria,  Baden,  Wurtemberg,  etc.  Looking  at  such  a 
map,  w^e  are  at  once  struck  with  the  idea  that  Germany  is  not 


HAMBURG. 


267 


a  nation,  but  an  agglomeration  of  many  nationalities,  differing 
in  their  origin,  their  manners,  and  their  religion.  The  only 
thing  which  they  have  in  common  is  their  language ;  but, 
sliould  a  fortuitous  event  stop  one  of  the  wheels  of  this  im- 
mense machine,  the  whole  would  fall  to  pieces  and  instantly 
separate.  Each  country  w^ould  rise  against  the  master  who  has 
brought  it  under  subjection,  —  would  resume  its  autonomy,  and 
recover  the  position  of  which  it  had  been  deprived. 

Continuing  our  walk  along  the  Alster  quay,  we  saw  on  the 


Fig.  143.  —  Ground-plan  of  the  Museum  at  Hamburg. 


right  the  new  Museum,  built  entirely  of  brick,  which  deserves 
notice  on  this  account  rather  than  because  of  its  form. 

The  ground-floor  (Fig.  143)  is  composed  of  a  central  building 
and  two  wdngs.  A  very  fine  staircase  occupies  the  middle ;  it  is 
of  a  single  flight,  wdth  a  wide  landing  half-way,  and  seems  a 
miniature  of  that  of  the  senate-hall  at  the  Luxembourg.  On 
the  ground-floor  are  the  sculptures  and  the  curator's  apartments. 
On  the  first  floor  there  is  a  large  and  beautiful  room  at  the  head 
of  the  stairs,  then  a  smaller  one,  and  a  long  side-gallery.     A 


268  GERMANY. 


fourth  division,  in  three  compartments,  contains  drawings  and 
encrravincvs,  lioht  beins:  admitted  at  the  side.  The  whole  of 
these  rooms  are  not  yet  filled.  The  works  of  art  Avhich  they 
contain  are  but  of  secondary  merit ;  but  they  are  well  arranged, 
and  placed  so  as  to  be  seen  in  the  best  possible  manner.  Those 
of  greater  importance  are  hung  on  hinges,  which  allow  the  light 
to  be  modified,  and  the  position  to  be  altered,  according  to  the 
hour  of  the  day.  There  are  many  seats,  and  the  visitor  may  sit 
on  a  low  and  wide  divan,  without  fatigue,  and  examine  the  pic- 
ture opposite  to  him. 

Most  of  the  paintings  are  works  of  that  German  school  so 
w^ell  known  in  France  by  the  specimens  sent  to  our  annual  ex- 
hibitions ;  but  the  effect  produced  is  not  the  same  when  these 
paintings,  instead  of  being  lost  in  a  crowd,  are  brought  together 
so  as  to  form  a  whole. 

The  Genre  pictures,  so  much  admired  by  our  neighbors,  shock 
our  ideas,  because  of  the  choice  of  subjects ;  some  of  the  details 
are  too  crude  and  too  realistic  for  our  refined  taste.  It  was 
always  a  subject  of  astonishment  to  us  to  see  how  openly  a  Ger- 
man shows  his  preference  for  one  subject  over  another.  Good 
taste  is  as  unknown  to  him  as  reserve  or  delicacy.  Thus,  a 
group,  composed  of  a  husband,  wife,  and  children,  who  wore  the 
appearance  of  people  moving  in  good  society,  were  standing  by 
our  side  convulsed  wdth  laughter,  and  w^ere  uttering  loud  excla- 
mations before  a  picture  representing  a  soldier  too  familiar  with 
a  servant-girl. 

The  most  favorite  subjects  of  the  German  artists  are  interiors, 
as  "\ve  have  before  said ;  the  representation  of  the  ordinary  oc- 
currences of  citizen  life,  simple  and  sometimes  trivial  family 
scenes.  Such  subjects  as  these  are  unsuited  to  the  sculptor,  so 
that  works  in  this  branch  of  art  are  rare.  It  is  not  adapted  to 
the  genius  of  the  Germans,  who  only  leave  the  trivialities  of  life 
when  they  lose  themselves  in  the  domain  of  a  vague  idealism, 
often  difficult  to  be  understood,  and  v^^hich  sculpture,  with  its 
rigorous  geometrical  precision,  is  unable  to  reproduce. 


HAMBURG. 


269 


We  have  already  said  that  the  faQade  of  the  Museum  (Fig. 
144)  is  entirely  built  of  bricks.  These  vary  in  form  according 
to  the  position  which  they  are  to  occupy ;  thus  the  shafts  of  the 
columns  are  formed  by  four  triangular  bricks,  united  at  the 


Fig,  144.  —  The  Museum,  Hamburg. 


centre  by  a  core  filled  with  mortar,  exactly  in  the  manner  that 
columns  in  the  Forum  of  Pompeii,  and  many  other  ancient  pub- 
lic buildings,  were  constructed.  The  bricks  used  as  voussoirs 
are  adapted  to  the  form  of  the  arch  ;  their  upper  part  is  wider 
than  the  lower,  so  as  to  allow  the  joints  to  be  of  the  same  thick- 


270  GERMANY 


ness.  Mouldings  are  formed  of  bricks  of  special  shape,  the  in- 
convenience of  which  perhaps  is,  that  they  have  the  same  profiles 
as  stone,  without  being  able  to  show  such  clear  and  delicate 
edges.  In  the  upper  cornice  there  are  panels  filled  in  with 
enamelled  terra-cotta,  ornamented  with  designs  in  bright  colors. 
Compartments,  formed  of  bricks  of  various  tints,  fill  the  solid 
parts  of  the  building,  and  tend  to  give  it  a  heavy  appearance. 
"VYe  feel  that  the  conception  is  too  labored ;  the  niches  filled  with 
unnecessary  statues ;  the  combinations  of  balustrades  and  of 
cornices  intended  to  conceal  the  roof  show  a  striving  after  effect, 
a  certain  embarrassment,  and  an  exaggerated  attempt  to  succeed, 
while  it  would  have  been  easy  to  obtain  a  better  result  by  the 
employment  of  more  simple  means,  and  the  study  of  more  pleas- 
ing proportions. 

The  Gross- Alster  is  separated  from  the  Binnen-Alster  by  a 
narrow  neck  of  land,  on  which  they  have  contrived  to  construct 
a  road  and  a  railway.  This  connects  the  Berlin  line  with  that 
of  Sleswig,  and  serves  as  a  medium  of  communication  between 
different  parts  of  Hamburg.  It  crosses,  on  a  level,  one  of  the 
frequented  streets  of  the  city,  and  yet  there  is  no  guard,  no  bar- 
rier placed  there  to  prevent  access.  When  one  wishes  to  pass, 
he  looks  if  the  way  is  clear,  raises  a  chain,  replaces  it,  and  goes 
on  his  way.  A  clock,  placed  by  the  side  of  a  notice-board  fixed 
to  a  post,  gives  all  requisite  information,  and' the  precise  time  of 
the  arrival  of  the  trains,  so  that  large  and  heavily  laden  vehicles, 
which  move  but  slowly,  may  not  pass  the  crossing  without  a 
certainty  of  having  sufficient  time.  Each  person  is  able  thus  to 
secure  himself  from  danger.  We  do  not  manage  matters  so 
simply  in  France. 

After  having  traversed  without  inconvenience  the  level  cross- 
ing before  us,  and  passed  along  the  causeway  by  the  side  of  the 
Gross-Alster,  we  found  ourselves  before  the  General  Hospital,  of 
which  we  wish  to  give  a  short  description.  Questions  relating 
to  the  construction  and  internal  arrangement  of  hospitals  are  at 
present  of  so  great  interest,  that  it  will  be  useful  to  enter  into 


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HAMBURG.  273 

some  details  and  explanations  respecting  that  at  Hamburg,  one 
of  the  largest  establishments  of  the  kind  in  Germany. 

In  a  notice  issued  by  the  authorities  of  the  hospital,  it  is  said  : 
"  We  have  not  here  to  do  with  a  small  establishment  limited  in 
its  development,  and  containing  but  a  few  hundred  beds,  but 
with  one  of  the  first  rank,  organized  for  the  purpose  of  affording 
public  aid  in  an  unlimited  and  more  perfect  manner,  and  capa- 
ble of  receiving,  when  necessary,  as  many  as  eighteen  hundred 
patients." 

Among  the  hospitals  recently  erected,  that  at  Hamburg  has 
adopted,  in  the  arrangement  of  its  buildings,  one  of  the  forms 
most  usually  found  in  Germany,  a  quadrilateral,  open  on  one 
side.  Such  is,  at  least,  the  character  of  tlie  principal  part  of 
the  structure ;  for,  since  the  fire  of  1842,  which  brought  to  the 
hospital  so  large  a  number  of  victims,  they  determined  to  enlarge 
it ;  and  in  1848  they  added  to  the  original  building,  and  pro- 
longed its  facade  by  two  wings,  which  materially  alter  the  gen- 
eral appearance  of  the  establishment. 

The  site  occupied  by  the  General  Hospital  at  Hamburg  is  by 
the  side  of  the  basin  of  the  outer  Alster.  It  covers  a  surface  of 
about  64,585  square  yards.  It  w^as  begun  towards  the  end  of 
the  year  1820,  and  finished  three  years  afterwards.  The  expense 
of  the  works  was  1,282,000  marks  current  (about  76,000  /.). 

It  is  composed  (Fig.  145)  of  a  central  building,  and  of  four 
annexes.  The  central  part  is  raised  two  stories  above  the  ground- 
floor  ;  the  wings  have  only  two,  with  attics  above.  Beneath  the 
whole  building  there  are  vaulted  rooms  underground. 

On  each  side  of  the  central  building  are  carriage-entrances,  from 
w^hich  staircases  lead  to  the  different  parts  of  the  establishment. 
The  annexes  are  divided  into  two  parts,  the  first  of  which  extends 
along  the  front,  and  the  second  at  right  angles.  Each  extrem- 
ity is  terminated  by  a  rectangular  building.  The  central  court- 
yard is  divided  into  two  parts,  intended  for  the  patients  of  each 
sex.  A  wide  passage  crosses  it,  leading  from  the  principal  door 
of  the  official  department,  and  ending  at  the  surrounding  moat. 


274  GERMANY 


Behind  the  principal  building  are  situated  on  one  side  the 
anatomical  hall,  and  on  the  other  a  kind  of  coach-house,  in  which 
the  fire-engines  are  kept.  At  the  side  of  the  outer  enclosure  is 
a  small  building  where  woollen  clothes  are  washed. 

The  sick  wards  are  of  various  dimensions,  the  smallest  being 
in  the  rectangular  portions  at  the  extremity  of  the  wings.  These 
are  allotted  to  patients  Avho  pay  for  lodging  and  attendance,  and 
to  isolated  cases.  Each  of  the  ordinary  ^yards,  placed  on  the 
first  floor,  is  intended  to  receive  twelve  patients  and  a  nurse. 
They  are  38  feet  long,  22  J  feet  wide,  and  about  12  feet  3  inches 
high ;  each  patient  must  therefore  have  about  thirty  cubic  yards 
of  air,  which  is  very  insufficient.  (See  p.  32.)  All  these  wards 
communicate  with  the  common  corridor  and  with  the  adjoining 
wards.  They  are  lighted  by  three  windows  opening  in  the  ex- 
ternal wall  of  the  building,  each  of  which  is  7  feet  6  inches  by 
4  feet  3  inches.  The  sill  of  this  w^indow  has  no  projection  in- 
wardly at  the  usual  height,  but  is,  on  the  contrary,  recessed  from 
the  front  wall,  so  that  the  patients  and  attendants  cannot  look 
out  of  the  window,  or  place  there  vases  with  flowers,  or  other 
ornamental  objects. 

On  each  side  of  the  door  leading  to  the  corridor  are  two  small 
rooms,  each  lighted  by  an  arched  window.  One  of  these  is  re- 
served for  the  nurse,  and  the  other  contains  closets.  In  the 
middle  of  each  smaller  ward  is  a  stove,  and  there  are  two  in  the 
larger  ones.  These  stoves,  made  of  brick  covered  with  glazed 
tiles,  are  heated  by  coal  or  peat.  The  ventilation  of  the  wards 
is  effected  by  means  of  small  air-openings  made,  on  one  side,  in 
the  wall  beneath  the  windows,  and  on  the  other  above  the  door 
leadino:  to  the  corridor.  You  have  onlv  to  tell  the  air  to  enter  on 
one  side  and  go  out  on  the  other ;  a  very  primitive  arrangement, 
and  utterly  insufficient,  since  it  frequently  moves  in  an  opposite 
direction  to  that  which  was  expected  as  the  result  of  its  good 
intentions,  and  thus  occasions  great  inconvenience.  The  ceilings 
are  plastered,  the  w^alls  whitewashed,  and  the  floors  rubbed  with 
w^ax. 


HAMBURG.  275 


In  the  new  wards  a  system  of  ventilation  is  adopted  which  is 
less  primitive  than  that  used  in  the  old  ones.  An  air-pipe  sur- 
rounds the  chimney  of  the  stove,  and  carries  off  the  vitiated  air 
brought  thither  by  the  draught,  while  fresh  air  is  supplied  in 
the  lower  parts  of  the  room  by  means  of  orifices  at  the  level  of 
the  floor. 

The  cesspools  are  not  emptied,  but  the  drainage  passes  directly 
into  the  Elbe.  The  general  city  aqueduct  supplies  the  necessary 
purified  water.  A  main  drain  receives  all  the  water  from  the 
smaller  sinks,  and  carries  it  to  the  Elbe.  The  whole  establish- 
ment is  li(^hted  with  oras. 

The  princi]3al  and  assistant  physicians  reside  in  the  hospital. 
There  is  also  an  additional  branch  in  the  centre  of  the  town,  for 
the  examination  and  reception  of  patients.  Foreign  sailors  are 
admitted,  in  urgent  cases,  without  examination. 

The  porter  at  our  hotel,  who  is  a  Eoman  Catholic,  was  in- 
trusted to  receive,  from  his  foreign  co-religionists,  subscriptions 
towards  the  construction  of  a  church,  the  designs  for  which  he 
showed  to  us.  We  gave  our  mite  to  this  useful  functionary,  and 
borrowed  from  him  some  drawings,  which  may,  perhaps,  interest 
the  reader. 

The  ground-plan  (Fig.  146)  consists  of  a  porch  leading  to  the 
nave,  which  is  bordered  by  side  aisles,  and  terminated  by  a 
square  chancel.  The  wide  bays  of  the  nave  occupy  the  Avidth 
of  two  of  those  of  the  side  aisles.  All  the  vaults,  both  hic^h  and 
low,  have  bays  at  right  angles  to  each  other.  Their  angles  are 
without  mouldings  (Fig.  147),  and  they  are  intended  to  be  cov- 
ered with  paintings.  The  pillars  are  square,  and  the  edges  are 
chamfered  as  far  as  a  console,  which  forms  a  corbel  for  the 
spring  of  the  arch.  Small  columns,  giving  additional  strength 
to  those  of  the  transept,  and  placed  against  each  side,  support 
the  wall  arches.  Large  isolated  windows  give  light  to  the  nar- 
row bays.  In  the  wider  bays  of  the  transept,  instead  of  a  single 
window,  a  triple  one  has  been  made.  These  windows  come 
down  to  the  string-course  above  the  arches  of  the  side  aisles, 


276 


GERMANY. 


but  tlieir  upper  part  alone  opens  to  the  outer  air.     The  lower 
portion  gives  light  to  a  gallery,  a  kind  of  triforium,  covered  by 


'■         £ 10- Ts io «MS 

Fig.  146.  —  Qrotind-plan  of  Roman  Catholic  Chxirch  at  Hamburg. 


the  roofs  of  the  side  aisles.  Arches  placed  below  these  roofs, 
the  timber-work  of  which  is  supported  by  them,  sustain  the 
thrust  of  the  vaults  of  the  nave. 


HAMBURG. 


277 


The  steeple  is  over  the  main  entrance,  and  forms  the  great 
feature  of  the  principal  facade  (Fig.  148).  It  is  divided  into 
three  stories,  each  treated  in  a  different  manner,  according  to 


2V  7  0MAii/<IEtyJCX 


Fig.  147.  —  View  of  the  Interior. 


the  purpose  for  which  it  is  intended.  First,  the  porch ;  then, 
the  window  belonging  to  the  organ  gallery ;  and  above  this,  the 
long:  narrow  windows  of  the  belfry,  over  which  is  the  base  of  the 
wooden  spire.     Triple  windows,  resembling  those  of  the  nave. 


278 


GERMANY. 


Fig.  148.— New  Roman  Catholic  Church  at  Hamburg. 


HAMBURG.  279 


give  light  to  the  transept,  and  there  is  a  rose-window  in  the  east 
wall  of  the  chancel  at  the  end  of  the  building. 

The  materials  to  be  employed  are  brick  and  white  stone  for 
the  masonry,  tiles  for  the  roofs,  and  wood  for  the  framework. 
Iron  is  not  yet  so  much  used  in  Germany  as  in  France,  and  it  is 
but  seldom  employed. 

Having  now  described  the  general  appearance  of  this  church, 
an  important  public  building  in  a  city  in  which  there  are  so  few, 
we  must  in  a  few  words  analyze  its  form  and  the  nature  of  its 
construction. 

The  person  who  planned'  the  Catholic  Church  at  Hamburg, 
having  a  considerable  space  to  cover,  determined  to  give  it  a 
vaulted  roof;  it  was,  in  fact,  scarcely  possible  to  cover  a  large 
surface  by  a  ceiling.  Metal  is  not  well  adapted  for  decoration 
under  these  circumstances,  unless  it  is  concealed  by  a  covering 
of  plastering,  —  a  combination  in  every  respect  objectionable. 
Having,  therefore,  adopted  a  vaulted  roof,  the  architect  made  the 
general  plan  and  its  details  to  correspond  with  it.  The  bays  of 
the  vault,  as  we  have  already  said,  are  at  right  angles  to  each 
other,  and  are  built  of  bricks  without  projecting  ribs;  as  the 
angles  are  strengthened  by  a  double  brick,  it  is  only  necessary  to 
make  the  large  triangular  bays  about  four  and  one-third  inches  in 
thickness.  The  spring  of  the  vaults  of  the  nave  comes  so  low, 
and  that  of  the  side  aisles  is,  on  the  other  hand,  so  high,  that  it 
allows  flying  buttresses  to  be  formed  in  the  roof  of  the  aisles, 
supported  by  external'  buttresses,  and  intended  to  take  the  thrust 
of  the  vaults  of  the  nave. 

This  arrangement  gives  the  side  bays  a  somewhat  hea^y  and 
clumsy  appearance,  but  has  the  advantage  of  being  truly  eco- 
nomical, in  allowing  the  height  of  the  nave  to  be  diminished 
without  rendering  it  dark,  since  it  can  be  lighted  by  windows 
immediately  above  the  roofs  of  the  side  aisles. 

The  danger  to  be  feared  in  such  a  case  is  lest  the  thrust  of 
one  of  the  smaller  arches  forming  the  division  of  the  side 
aisles  should  overturn  the  isolated  pillar  in  the  centre  of  the 


280  GERMANY. 


larger  bay;  but  to  obviate  this  difficulty  it  is  easy  to  place 
over  the  springer  of  this  arch  an  arrangement  which  would 
diffuse  the  thrust,  throwing  it  not  entirely  on  the  column,  but 
partly  on  the  triangular  mass  of  brickwork  formed  by  the 
meeting  of  the  two  arches,  which  supports  the  solid  part  above 
the  sill  of  the  window ;  this  would  afford  the  necessary  resist- 
ance. 

This  system  of  vaulting  appears,  therefore,  very  simple  and 
reasonable  as  to  the  points  of  support.  Their  disposition  of  the 
arches  is  not  the  result  of  caprice,  but  rendered  necessary  by  the 
part  which  they  have  to  play.  The  examination  of  the  plan 
shows  that  their  dimensions  have  been  carefully  adjusted,  so  as 
to  enable  them  to  sustain  the  w^eight  to  be  laid  upon  them ;  and 
these  dimensions  are  increased  at  the  top  of  the  pillars  by  means 
of  corbelling,  intended  to  give  greater  surface  to  the  imposts  of 
the  wall  arches. 

Many  other  arrangements  in  this  building  well  deserve  exam- 
ination, but  it  would  be  necessary  to  give  a  great  number  of 
plans  and  draw^ings  in  order  to  enter  into  these  details  and  ex- 
plain them.  We  cannot  and  wdsh  not  to  write  a  complete 
monograph  on  each  building  which  we  mention;  we  must  be 
contented  with  the  more  naodest  attempt  merely  to  give  our 
readers  some  idea  of  it. 

AVe  may  here  remark  that  we  cannot  but  notice  a  certain 
family  likeness  between  the  church  at  Hamburg  and  some 
French  churches,  —  a  bond  of  parentage  which  is  strikingly  evi- 
dent in  many  respects,  —  and  yet  this  building  is  not  a  copy. 
It  reproduces  recollections,  reminiscences;  it  may  be  looked 
upon  as  an  adaptation,  but  it  is  not  a  servile  reproduction ;  and 
if,  in  studying  the  details  of  this  structure,  we  meet  with  incon- 
testable traces  of  the  influence  of  a  former  age  or  of  another 
countr}^,  it  is  to  be  found  in  the  principles  which  have  been 
made  use  of,  and  in  the  rigorous  application  of  a  borrowed  idea 
well  followed  and  reasoned  out,  but  not  in  the  barren  reproduc- 
tion of  outlines  or  details,  the  importance  and  the  true  value  of 


HAMBUEG.  281 


which  might  indeed  be  ascertained  and  appreciated  merely  from 
the  style  of  their  execution. 

Since  the  time  when  Hamburg  began  to  rise  from  its  ruins, 
they  have  replaced,  one  after  another,  the  churches  destroyed  in 
1842.  One  of  the  most  important  of  them,  the  Church  of  St. 
Nicholas,  has  been  built,  say  the  Guide-books,  in  the  ijurest  Gothic 
style  by  Sir  Gilbert  Scott,  an  English  architect,  whose  name  has 
a  well-deserved  celebrity  in  the  United  Kingdom. 

The  Church  of  St.  Nicholas  is  an  archaeological  work  conscien- 
tiously elaborated.  There  is  nothing,  indeed,  to  shock  us ;  but 
we  look  in  vain  for  any  creative  idea,  any  product  of  the  imagi- 
nation. It  is  the  exact  copy  of  one  of  those  Saxon  churches  of 
the  fourteenth  century,  the  types  of  which  are  so  frequently  to 
be  seen  in  England.  The  construction  suggests  nothing  but  ver- 
tical lines.  The  mullions  and  dwarf  columns  are  too  slight ;  the 
gables  are  too  pointed,  and  are  decorated  with  meagre  and  flimsy 
ornaments;  the  buttresses  are  surmounted  by  pointed  finials; 
the  arcades  are  not  projecting,  and  the  sculpture  is  not  charac- 
teristic ;  and,  besides  this,  slender  flying  buttresses  pass  over  the 
roofs  of  the  side  aisles  to  give  support  to  the  vaults  of  the  nave. 
We  have  a  different  idea  in  Erance  of  the  architecture  of  the 
Middle  Ages ;  yet  we  must  admit  that  the  Church  of  St.  Nicho- 
las has  a  grand  and  noble  appearance,  and  has  been  constructed 
with  the  greatest  care. 

The  other  public  buildings  of  Hamburg  have  little  worthy  of 
the  notice  of  the  architect.  The  Exchange,  for  instance,  has 
attracted  irreat  attention,  but  its  architectural  merit  does  not 
justify  the  notoriety  which  it  has  obtained.  In  front  of  it  is 
the  Bank,  constructed  on  the  site  of  the  former  Town  Hall,  of 
which  we  will  only  say  that  it  served  in  1810  as  the  prefecture 
of  the  department  of  the  Bouches  de  I'Elbe,  of  which  Hamburg 
was  then  the  principal  town.  It  was  there  also  that  Marshal 
Davoust  resided  during  the  memorable  siege  of  1814.  The  Syn- 
agogue, a  Moorish  edifice,  is  considered  to  be  one  of  the  largest 
in  Europe.     In  the  Schulgebaude,  a  kind  of  professional  school, 


282  GERMANY. 


there  has  been  collected  a  library  containing  twenty-five  thou- 
sand volumes,  and  a  museum  of  natural  history  and  of  local 
antiquities.  The  buildings  in  which  these  various  objects  are 
placed  are  separated  from  each  other  by  courtyards  surrounded 
by  colonnades,  —  a  kind  of  cloisters,  affording  an  easy  mode  of 
communication,  and  serving  to  protect  the  pupils  while  at  play. 
Unfortunately  the  internal  arrangements  of  the  roonis  do  not 
correspond  with  the  good  impression  given  by  the  external 
faqades. 

The  construction  of  dwelling-houses,  as  may  easily  be  imag- 
ined, has  been  greatly  developed  in  a  city  w^hich  has  been  partly 
rebuilt,  and  which  daily  increases  in  prosperity. 

The  houses  in  the  central  district,  where  the  land  is  dearest, 
and  space  is  wanting,  are  lodging-houses  of  several  stories  in 
height.  Those  erected  immediately  after  the  great  fire  in  1842 
have  no  decided  character.  They  resemble,  except  in  a  few 
details,  those  which  are  usually  seen  in  large  cities,  as  in  Lon- 
don, Paris,  or  Vienna.  The  sketch  which  we  made  of  one  of  the 
Alster  quays  (Fig.  140)  will  serve  to  give  an  idea  of  the  plan 
usually  adopted ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  the  houses  more  recently 
erected,  and  especially  those  which  are  being  built  at  the  pres- 
ent time,  have  been  influenced  on  the  one  hand  by  the  German 
Gothic  school,  and  on  the  other  by  the  intercourse  with  England, 
with  which  Hamburg  has  many  commercial  relations  very  im- 
portant to  both  countries.^ 

The  material  of  these  buildings  is  brick.  These  are  employed 
with  great  care,  and  in  every  combination  in  which  they  are 
applicable ;  they  are  of  various  colors,  and,  in  certain  cases,  of 
different  mouldings  and  special  forms,  so  as  to  be  suited  to  the 
place  for  which  they  are  destined.  Again,  enamelled  tiles  are 
frequently  used,  to  obviate  the  monotony  caused  by  the  uniform 
arrangement  of  these  small  masses,  and  thus  throw  into  relief 

1  Hamburg  is  the  principal  port  in  the  North  of  Europe,  to  which  all  the  mer- 
chandise sent  from  England  and  America  to  Germany  and  Russia  comes,  either  at 
its  arrival  or  departure. 


HAMBURG.  28: 


certain  portions  of  the  structure,  such  as  the  lower  parts  of  the 
courses  which  they  trace,  the  window-sills  under  which  they  are 
placed,  or  the  upper  portion  of  the  gables  which  they  embellish. 

Figs.  149  and  150  represent  the  plans,  and  Fig.  151  gives  the 
perspective  view,  of  one  of  these  dwelling-houses  intended  to  be 
let  to  persons  engaged  in  business  or  commerce.  The  under- 
ground portion  is  comprised  of  vaulted  rooms,  used  as  taverns  or 
restaurants ;  they  are  very  warm  in  winter,  and  are  especially 
frequented  during  the  evening,  which  lessens  the  inconvenience 
of  their  being  rather  dark.  The  ground-floor,  divided  crosswise 
by  a  series  of  arches  springing  from  the  lower  part,  contains 
shops ;  these  are  not  well  adapted  to  the  rich  display  of  goods  to 
which  we  attribute  so  much  importance,  for  the  sill  of  the  win- 
dows is  on  a  level  with  the  heads  of  those  who  pass  by ;  the 
entrance  is  not  directly  from  the  street,  as  the  very  severe  cli- 
mate of  the  North  does  not  permit  such  an  arrangement,  which 
would  bring  in  an  enormous  quantity  of  cold  air  at  the  entrance 
or  departure  of  every  customer.  It  is  necessary  first  to  ascend  a 
flight  of  steps,  sheltered  by  a  projection,  and  to  enter  a  vestibule, 
on  which  doors  open  to  the  right  and  left,  and  opposite  to  which 
is  the  staircase  leading  to  the  upper  floor.  The  next  story  is  in 
its  general  arrangement  similar  to  that  below,  and  on  the  other 
floors  are  dwelling-rooms,  in  w^hich  we  must  notice  the  impor- 
tance given  to  the  dining-room,  at  the  expense  of  the  drawing- 
room,  and  the  arranofement  of  the  bedchambers  with  two  beds 
placed  in  an  alcove,  forming  thus,  in  reality,  a  second  room, 
lighted  by  a  window,  and  which  can  be  divided  by  a  curtain 
from  the  apartment  properly  so  called,  which  may  thus  be  used 
as  a  sitting-room  for  the  members  of  the  family.-^ 

A  covered  balcony  extends  in  front  of  the  windows  of  the 
.drawing-room.  We  should  rather  have  had  it  enclosed,  for  it  is 
evident  that  though  the  veranda  affords  protection  from  the  rain, 
it  cannot  preserve  persons  efficiently  from  wind  and  cold.     Not 

1  For  further  details,  see  "Habitations  modernes  en  Europe,"  par  MM.  Viol- 
let-le-Duc  et  Felix  Narjoux,  architectes.     Morel  and  Cie.,  edit.     Paris. 


284 


'GERMANY. 


a  single  room  is  provided  with  a  chimney ;  they  are  all  heated 
by  the  tall  earthenware  stoves  which  we  have  already  mentioned, 
which  give  an  ecjuable,  pleasant,  and  economical  warmth,  though 


Fig.  149.  — Plan  of  Ground-floor. 


U  '?     V   -'t — h 


Fig.  150.  —  Plan  of  First  Floor. 


Vestibule. 

Shops. 

Sitting-rooms. 

Kitchen  for  the  ground-floor. 

Dinincr-rooms. 


6.  Kitchens  for  the  upper  apartments. 


7.  Drawing-rooms. 

8.  Bedrooms. 

9.  Dressing-rooms. 
10.  Closets. 


we  should  still  prefer  the  sight  of  a  good  tire  crackling  on  the 
hearth.  These  interiors  are  comfortable,  and  resemble  our  own ; 
with,  however,  this  difference,  that  the  more  important  rooms. 


HAMBURG. 


285 


in  point  of  size,  are  intended  for  family  life  and  daily  use,  while 
the  official  portions,  so  to  speak,  are,  on  the  contrary,  arranged 
in  a  more  unpretending  manner.  This  is  quite  opposed  to  what 
we  are  accustomed  to  in  France. 

The  proprietor  of  the  house  which  we  have  just  described  is  a 


TOM* tZKJi  a/e^ 


Fig.  151.  —  External  and  Internal  View. 


dealer  in  artistic  porcelain ;  he  directed  our  attention  to  the  most 
remarkable  specimens  which  he  possessed,  and  gave  us  some 
interesting  details  on  ceramic  art,  which  has  been  for  a  long  time 
one  of  the  most  important  branches  of  German  industry. 

The  products  with  which  we  were  most  struck  were  those  of 


286  GERMANY. 


the  manufacture  of  Meisen  in  Saxony,  founded  in  1710,  fifty 
years  before  our  manufactory  at  Sevres.  Meisen  more  especially 
produces  those  well-known  figures  of  the  Eococo  style ;  the  new 
specimens  are  heavy  and  very  pretentious,  but  the  reproductions 
from  ancient  models  in  biscuit  and  in  glazed  w^are  are  truly 
interesting.  The  favorite  subjects  are  evidently  shepherds  and 
shepherdesses,  allegorical  scenes,  and  fanciful  personages  intro- 
duced by  the  sculptor  Kandler  about  the  year  1731.  After  these 
come  w^ell-executed  copies  of  ancient  services,  candelabras,  and 
mirror  frames  in  foliage-work,  either  in  intaglio,  or  projecting  in 
a  hundred  fantastic  forms.  We  must  look  upon  these  produc- 
tions rather  as  artistic  curiosities  than  w^orks  of  art  properly  so 
called,  for  the  shrinking  arising  from  the  heat  to  which  they  are 
subjected  in  the  process  of  baking  modifies  so  much  the  original 
outlines,  that  it  cannot  but  distort  the  form  given  by  the  artist 
to  his  work ;  nevertheless,  such  a  collection  is  very  curious  and 
rarely  to  be  met  w^ith,  and  therefore  weU  worthy  of  examination. 

The  royal  manufactory  of  Berlin,  founded  in  1760,^  produces 
articles  of  more  general  utility,  which  are  remarkable  for  the 
excellence  of  the  gilding  wdiich  is  "  fired  "  in,  and  for  the  brill- 
iancy and  uniformity  of  the  colors  of  the  ground.  The  speci- 
mens are  heavier,  the  forms  are  less  elegant  and  graceful  than 
those  of  the  same  kind  manufactured  at  Limoges,  to  which  they 
are  also  inferior  in  the  quality  of  the  "  dough  "  and  in  perfection 
of  workmanship. 

There  is  not  the  same  racje  for  old  and  new  china  amonsT;  the 
Germans  as  in  France ;  however,  they  copy  our  modern  produc- 
tions, but  with  no  great  success.  They  have  taken  the  idea  of 
their  most  remarkable  works  from  their  old  models  of  stoves  and 
vases,2  with  or  without  handles,  found  in  the  old  castles  of  Bo- 


1  In  order  to  assure  the  prosperity  of  his  manufactory,  Frederick  the  Great  had 
recourse  to  a  truly  German  expedient.  The  Jews  could  not,  at  that  time,  marry 
without  his  permission.  This  was  granted  only  on  condition  that  they  should 
buy  all  the  china  for  their  new  establishment  at  his  manufactory. 

2  The  Nuremberg  vase  at  the  Louvre  bears  the  date  of  1578. 


HAMBURG.  287 


hernia  and  the  Ehine ;  fantastic  types,  often  full  of  exaggerated 
details,  —  faults  which  are  fortunately  atoned  for  by  beauty  of 
form,  and  more  especially  by  brilliancy  of  color. 

When  we  leave  the  centre  of  the  city,  we  find,  in  the  more 
retired  and  quiet  quarters,  the  mansions  and  private  dw^elling- 
houses  of  the  rich  merchants.     These  buildincrs  are  far  from 

o 

faultless.  The  facades  are  either  vulgar  or  overloaded  with  or- 
naments, piled  over  each  other  without  any  reasonableness  or 
necessity.  But  there  are  some  exceptions  ;  and  occasionally  w^e 
meet  with  houses  like  those  represented  in  our  sketches  (Figs. 
152  and  153),  and  before  which  we  stand  and  admire.  The 
front  w^all,  as  in  Dutch  houses,  is  separated  from  the  public  road 
by  an  area,  on  which  open  the  windows  of  the  basement  story, 
occupied  by  the  kitchen  and  its  offices ;  on  the  ground-floor, 
raised  by  several  steps,  are  'placed,  on  the  right,  the  dining  and 
drawing  rooms ;  on  the  left,  a  waiting-room  and  a  consultation- 
room,  for  this  house  belongs  to  a  physician.  Behind  is  a  small 
greenhouse ;  the  dining  and  drawing  rooms  are  divided  by  a 
movable  partition,  allowing  these  two  apartments  to  be  thrown 
into  one  on  reception  days,  and  when  they  meet  to  hear  perform- 
ances of  chamber-music,  —  the  chief  amusement  of  German  citi- 
zens. On  the  first  floor  are  the  bedrooms  ;  the  principal  one  has, 
in  front,  a  glazed  iron  balcony,  completely  enclosed,  so  that  tlie 
residents  may  enjoy  the  view  of  what  passes  on  the  outside, 
without  any  fear  of  the  wind  and  rain.  In  the  attics  are  the 
smaller  apartments  and  the  servants'  rooms. 

The  fa(;ade  (Fig.  154)  is  built  of  brick;  the  jambs  of  the  win- 
dows on  the  ground-floor  alone  are  of  stone ;  a  few  terra-cotta 
ornaments  are  placed  over  the  lintels  of  the  windows  on  the  first 
story.  Under  the  cornice  beneath  the  roof  is  a  row  of  enamelled 
terra-cotta  tiles,  and  also  in  the  front  of  the  balcony.  Within, 
there  are  evident  traces  of  comfort  and  of  British  habits,  and 
furniture  which  reminds  one  of  the  houses  of  the  West  End,  or 
of  the  towns  in  certain  English  counties. 

Along  the  quays  of  the  Gross  Alster,  and  outside  tlie  city 


288 


GERMANY. 


bounds,  there  are  a  great  number  of  large  houses,  which  can 
neither  be  called  mansions  nor  country-houses,  but  which  par- 
take of  the  characteristics  of  both  these  kinds  of  habitations. 
They  are  the  villas  of  the  rich  merchants  of  Hamburg,  who  in 
fine  weather  come  thither  in  the  evening,  for  relaxation  after  the 


V!:      I       k      ^      io      1»     UM 


Fig.  152.  —  Ground-plan  of  Private 
House,  Hamburg, 

1.  Area. 

2.  Principal  entrance. 

3.  Servants'  entrance, 

4.  Hall. 

5.  Dining-room. 


Fig,  153.— Plan  of  First  Floor. 


6.  Drawing-room. 

7.  "Waiting-room. 

8.  ^lorning-room. 

9.  Winter-garden. 
10.  Bedrooms. 


fatigues  of  the  day's  work.  We  have  already  entered  into  so 
many  details  respecting  these  dwelling-houses,  that  it  will  be 
useless  to  refer  again  to  them.  We  must  not  forget  that  the 
modern  villa  bears  no  reseml>lance  to  that  of  tlie  Romans.  It 
is  of  recent  creation,  and  is  of  a  new  type,  which  owes  its  origin 


HAMBUKG, 


289 


-^  -  -^  ^^^■^ 


Fig.  154. — View  of  Exterior  and  Interior. 


to  our  fondness  for  watering-places  and  for  sea-bathing,  and 
which  has  been  further  developed  by  the  facility  of  communi- 
cation, by  means  of  which  we  can  transport  ourselves,  in  a  few 
hours,  from  the  place  of  our  abode  to  the  borders  of  a  lake  in 
the  midst  of  mountains,  favored  with  a  delightful  climate. 


290  GERMANY. 


ALTONA. 

A  FUNERAL.  —  THE  KINDERGARTEN.  —  ALTONA.  —  BLANKENESSE. 

OXE  morning,  while  we  were  waiting  for  the  departure  of 
the  omnibus  to  Altona,  we  heard  suddenly,  in  a  side 
street,  loud  cries  of  mourning  and  lamentation;  then,  at  the 
same  moment,  we  saw  a  strange  procession,  which  we  should 
certainly  have  taken  for  some  carnival  masquerade,  if  we  had 
not  seen,  raised  above  the  crowd,  a  coffin  covered  with  a  long 
pall,  the  folds  of  which  concealed  the  bearers,  and  swept  along 
the  ground.  It  was  a  funeral,  but  the  most  fantastic  that  could 
be  imagined.  Instead  of  relatives  and  friends  in  tears,  those 
who  followed  the  bier  were  muffled  up  in  doublet  and  hose,  with 
swords  by  their  sides,  wearing  powdered  wigs,  carrying  under 
the  arm  a  hat  with  feathers,  and  on  one  shoulder  a  small  dress- 
cloak.  These  people  were  hired  mourners,  and  their  lamenta- 
tions were  proportionate  to  the  generosity  of  the  families  for 
whom  they  served  as  substitutes,  when  it  was  necessary  to  carry 
one  of  their  relatives  to  the  grave.  Their  costume  and  their 
grief  depend  on  the  liberality  of  the  survivors ;  a  silk  or  velvet 
robe  corresponds  with  profound  sobs  and  almost  inarticulate 
cries,  while  a  simple  cloth  garment  demands  but  a  few  moderate 
tears. 

VThen  the  procession  had  passed,  the  omnibus  resumed  its 
route.  It  was  a  lofty  and  wide  American  omnibus,  and  pro- 
ceeded very  rapidly.  Our  fellow-jDassengers  were  principally 
composed  of  cooks  going  to  market,  or  on  their  return,  dressed 
for  the  occasion,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  country,  in  their 


ALTONA.  291 


best  attire,  and  concealing  under  a  fold  of  their  shawl  the  copper 
vessel  in  which  they  carried  provisions  for  the  household. 

At  the  end  of  a  few  minutes  we  were  opposite  to  the  ancient 
gate  of  Altona,  on  the  front  of  which  is  the  benevolent  inscrip- 
tion, Nohis  hcnc,  Nemini  male, ;  and  soon  after  we  entered  the 
town,  which  till  lately  was  the  second  city  in  Denmark. 

The  object  of  our  trip  to  Altona  was  to  see  the  Kindergarten 
(children-garden),  which  we  had  been  strongly  recommended  to 
visit. 

The  Kindergarten  resembles  in  many  respects  our  orphan  asy- 
lums. These  establishments  receive  children  from  two  to  six 
years  old,  at  w^hich  latter  age  education  becomes  obligatory. 
The  resemblance  which  exists  between  a  plant  and  a  child,  and 
the  care  necessary  for  both,  form  the  basis  of  the  principle  which 
lies  at  the  foundation  of  all  these  establishments,  and  gave  rise 
to  the  name  "  children-garden,"  that  is  to  say,  the  place  where 
their  understanding  and  their  affections  are  cultivated.  The 
premises  are  large,  healthy,  and  well  ventilated.  There  is  a 
meadow  before  the  entrance,  serving  as  a  place  for  recreation ; 
a  schoolroom,  and  a  courtyard  j)lauted  with  trees.  One  hundred 
and  twenty  boys  and  girls  are  assembled,  the  former  on  the  right 
hand  and  the  others  on  the  left,  under  the  superintendence  of  a 
governess,  assisted  by  a  certain  number  of  young  girls  from 
twelve  to  fifteen  years  of  age,  allowing  one  to  about  ten  chil- 
dren. The  garden  is  opened  at  nine  o'clock.  The  children 
come,  after  having  taken  their  first  breakfast  at  their  own 
homes ;  they  are  examined,  washed,  and  made  tidy,  and  are 
then  arranged  before  tables,  on  which  they  find  games  of  all 
kinds,  —  little  wooden  cubes  for  building  houses,  leaden  soldiers 
to  be  drawn  up  in  battle  array,  tracings  of  geometrical  figures  to 
be  filled  in  with  colors,  etc.,  etc.  They  are  incited  by  emulation 
to  do  better  than  those  around  them ;  their  fingers  and  eyes  thus 
acquire  unconsciously  a  certain  amount  of  skill.  After  an  hour 
of  this  occupation,  they  go  out  into  the  meadow  and  2^l<^'-y  ^'^  sol- 
diers, for  the  German  must  accustom  himself  early  to  the  part 


292  GERMANY, 


which  he  must  act  during  the  whole  of  his  life.  They  there 
perform  many  gymnastic  exercises,  such  as  stretching  out  their 
arms  and  raising  their  legs  at  the  word  of  command.  They 
then  go  into  the  garden,  and  turn  over  the  ground  with  their 
spades,  or  load  their  wheelbarrows  with  sand. 

They  are  taught  neither  to  read  nor  to  write ;  their  minds  are 
simply  prepared  for  the  lessons  which  will  afterwards  be  given 
to  them.  This  system,  founded  on  a  just  idea  and  a  true  princi- 
ple, gives  results  the  advantages  of  which  have  been  fully  proved 
by  German  statistics. 

It  is  said  that  schoolmasters  can  recognize  at  once  such  of 
their  pupils  as  have  been  trained  in  the  Kindergarten.  The 
aptitude  which  they  disj^lay,  their  intelligence,  and  the  free  use 
of  their  limbs  are  much  more  developed  than  in  other  children, 
and  they  are  more  readily  inclined  to  follow  the  directions  that 
are  given  to  them. 

Some  of  these  establishments  are  free,  and  intended  for  the 
children  of  the  lower  classes;  in  others,  on  the  contrary,  a 
greater  or  less  payment  is  required.  But  all  are  managed  on 
the  same  rules  and  on  similar  principles. 

Altona  is  within  a  pleasant  walk.  The  principal  street,  the 
Palmaille,  planted  with  lime-trees  along  its  whole  extent,  pre- 
sents a  very  animated  scene ;  the  other  streets  are  C|uiet,  and 
much  more  retired  than  those  of  Hamburg.  The  houses  stand 
in  the  midst  of  gardens  and  pleasant  groves.  Cafes,  hotels,  and 
taverns  abound ;  for  Altona  is  on  festival  days  the  resort  of  the 
Hamburg  population,  who  find  there,  within  their  reach,  all  the 
elements  of  pleasure  and  enjoyment  adapted  to  their  tastes  and 
dispositions. 

On  Sundays,  in  fine  weather,  Altona  is  full  of  excitement. 
Dances  in  the  open  air,  cafe  concerts,  and  taverns  are  fre- 
quented by  crowds  of  visitors,  principally  workmen,  sailors, 
and  soldiers.  Female  servants  from  Hamburg,  with  their  arms 
bare  as  far  as  the  shoulders,  and  a  square  of  lace  over  the  head, 
meet  with  the  village  girls  of  the  neighborhood,  and  'amuse 


ALTOXA.  293 


themselves  with  a  freedom  of  manners  of  which  the  public 
balls  of  Paris,  even  of  the  most  advanced  type,  cannot  give  the 
remotest  idea.  "  It  is  their  simplicity,"  we  are  always  told. 
Call  it  simplicity  if  you  will,  but  our  corruption  —  and  there 
is  no  doubt  of  its  existence  —  is  a  hundred-fold  more  reserved 
and  less  revolting. 

The  citizens  go  to  Blankenesse,  rather  farther  off  than  Altona, 
to  seek  for  rest  and  pleasure  on  Sundays.  Blankenesse  is  a 
pretty  little  town,  or  rather  a  village,  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
Elbe,  situated  in  a  meadow  lying  at  the  foot  of  an  eminence, — 
a  refreshing  place  with  abundance  of  flowers,  —  and  is  chosen 
by  German  Platonic  lovers  for  their  sentimental  walks.  You 
may  meet  them  two  and  two,  hand  in  hand,  forming  grotesque 
groups  as  they  saunter  along  the  road.  The  dreamy  lover,  with 
his  lustreless  light  hair  curling  round  his  neck,  gazes  languish- 
ingly  at  his  companion  decked  out  in  ridiculous  and  pretentious 
finery,  and  with  her  eyes  ornamented  with  spectacles.  They 
talk  but  little  and  think  less,  but  exchange  interminable  kisses, 
while  they  dream  of  philosojDhy  and  ethereal  poetry. 


294  GERMANY. 


HELIGOLAND. 

AMOPiE  agreeable  excursion  than  the  preceding,  full  of 
strange  and  unexpected  incidents,  is  the  voyage  from 
Hamburg  to  Heligoland.  We  embark  at  Hamburg,  run  down 
the  Elbe  as  far  as  Cuxhaven,  and  then  cross  the  arm  of  the  sea 
which  divides  Heligoland  from  the  mainland. 

What  a  pleasant  voyage,  and  what  delightful  scenes !  How 
refreshing  after  the  works  of  man !  Since  we  left  Dordrecht 
we  have  seen  nothing  but  houses  and  public  buildings,  which 
we  have  been  compelled  constantly  to  examine,  discuss,  and 
compare.  AVe  feel  happy  as  we  recline  peacefully  on  the  deck 
of  the  vessel,  looking  at  the  blue  sky,  watching  the  innumerable 
boats  which  pass  and  repass  around  us,  or  listening  to  the  noise 
of  the  water  which  gently  ripples  against  our  prow.  We  con- 
gratulate ourselves  that  to-day,  at  least,  we  have  not  to  draw  the 
plan  of  a  building,  to  sketch  a  house,  or  to  study  the  "  logical 
and  artistic  employment  of  building  materials." 

When  Blankenesse  has  been  passed,  the  river  begins  rapidly 
to  widen.  The  two  banks  differ  in  appearance :  the  left  is  flat 
and  monotonous ;  the  right  is  more  varied,  and  shows  a  succes- 
sion of  hillocks,  the  summit  of  each  of  which  is  surmounted  by 
a  country-house.  Buoys,  placed  in  the  middle  of  the  river,  show 
the  channel  traced  through  the  shallows  and  sand-banks.  The 
weather  is  fine,  and  the  water  so  limpid  that  its  A'arious  tints 
allow  us  to  distinguish  the  dangerous  passes.  Occasionally  the 
channel  grows  more  and  more  narrow ;  there  are  but  two  fath- 
oms of  water,  and  at  the  stern  of  the  ship  we  can  see  the  screw 


HELIGOLAND.  295 


cutting  through  the  thick  bauk  of  sand,  so  as  to  trouble  the 
Avater,  and  send  up  large  bubbles  to  the  surface. 

At  Cuxhaven  some  passengers  land,  and  others  are  taken  on 
board.  All  the  Germans  take  advantao-e  of  this  chano-e  to  get 
the  best  places,  and  we  caused  great  astonishment  by  giving  up 
our  seat  to  a  woman  Avho  was  standing. 

When  once  the  bar  of  the  Elbe  has  been  passed,  the  greenish 
tint  of  the  sea-water  makes  the  river-water  which  rolls  by  in 
enormous  masses  appear  yellow.  We  pass  near  the  island  of 
l^ewerk,  which  can  be  reached  on  foot  at  low  water,  and  notice 
the  light-ship,  whose  fires,  lighted  every  night,  point  out  the 
shoals  along  the  coast.  This  ship  is  moored  by  an  iron  chain 
fixed  to  an  anchor  weighing  nearly  3  J  tons.  The  length  of  the 
chain  allows  the  vessel  to  yield  gradually  to  the  force  of  the 
sea ;  it  is  rapidly  raised  by  the  waves,  but,  at  the  moment  when 
it  seems  about  to  be  carried  away,  the  chain  checks  it/giving 
it  oscillating  movements  of  extraordinary  violence.  Its  rolling 
motion  is  intolerable  when  the  wind  blows  in  a  direction  opposed 
to  the  river  current.  It  strikes  the  vessel  on  her  beam,  and  lays 
her  over  on  her  beam-ends  without  a  moment's  intermission. 
The  fatigue  undergone  by  the  crew  is  so  great,  that  the  strong- 
est sailors  cannot  occupy,  for  any  length  of  time,  this  post, 
which  requires  as  much  courage  as  devotion  to  their  duties. 
The  tide  is  going  down,  and  vessels  are  at  anchor  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Elbe,  waiting  for  a  favorable  opportunity  of  entering  the 
river ;  but  we  pass  on,  and  continue  our  voyage  without  incon- 
venience. -We  had  a  quiet  passage,  for  the  North  Sea  was  pro- 
pitious. For  a  short  time  we  lost  sight  of  land — just  long 
enough  to  feel  the  curious  impression  always  made  on  one  in 
the  open  sea,  to  see  one's  self  the  centre  of  an  immense  circle, 
with  the  sea  bounded  as  it  were  by  a  vast  coif,  stretching  on 
all  sides  to  the  horizon.  How  powerful  man  feels  himself  when 
brought  face  to  face  with  that  immensity  which  he  is  able  to 
control,  in  the  midst  of  that  solitude  through  which,  with  so 
much  certainty,  he  ploughs  his  way ! 


296  GERMANY. 


The  Sim  was  already  beginning  to  descend ;  but,  before  it  dis- 
appeared, it  tinged  with  rays  of  fire  the  clouds  in  the  w^est,  and 
displayed  near  the  horizon  distinct  zones  intensely  colored,  from 
the  deepest  red  to  the  faintest  opal.  They  were  so  harmoniously 
blended,  that  it  was  impossible  to  say  where  one  ended,  and  the 
other  commenced  —  when  suddenly  there  appeared  before  us, 
emerging  from  the  waters,  and  clearly  defined  against  a  splen- 
did background,  a  point,  at  first  scarcely  perceptible,  which  soon 
assumed  the  appearance  of  an  enormous  rock,  and  then  of  a 
black  compact  mass,  with  sharp  crevices  and  abrupt  angles, 
showing  here  and  there  red  and  white  spots  formed  by  houses. 
This  was  Heligoland. 

Shortly  afterwards  we  landed  at  the  foot  of  a  flag-staff  bear- 
ing at  the  top  the  proud  standard  which  displays  on  its  broad 
folds  the  British  lion,  for  Heligoland  is  one  of  the  English  pos- 
sessions. 

In  1807,  at  the  time  of  the  blockade  of  the  European  ports, 
the  English  established  there  a  depot  for  contraband  goods; 
then,  considering  that  what  was  worth  while  to  take  was  also 
valuable  to  keep,  they  remained  masters  of  this  small  island, 
situated  at  an  equal  distance  from  the  mouths  of  the  "Weser  and 
the  Elbe,  and  which,  if  it  does  not  command  the  entrance  to 
those  two  rivers,  would,  more  especially  with  the  aid  of  jdow- 
erful  modern  artillery,  greatly  annoy  an  enemy's  fleet  either 
entering  or  quitting  the  ports  of  Bremen  and  Hamburg.  The 
English  government  is  not,  however,  a  hard  master.  Its  sub- 
jects at  Heligoland  pay  no  imperial  taxes,  and  are  exempt  from 
military  service ;  they  live  on  the  produce  of  their  fisheries,  and 
especially  on  the  income  derived  from  the  many  tourists  and 
sea-bathers  who,  during  the  summer,  come  and  live  there,  to 
bathe  in  the  waves,  which  are  said  to  be  more  powerful  than 
in  any  other  part  of  Europe. 

Heligoland  is  a  triangular  rock  (Fig.  155),  in  the  midst  of  the 
waters,  from  which  it  is  separated  by  rocky  cliffs  nearly  200 
feet  in  j)erpendicular  height.     A  portion  of  the  shore  slopes 


HELIGOLAND 


297 


down,  so  as  to  form  a  narrow  tract  of  sand  called  the  Unter- 
land,  the  lower  land,  while  the  upper  part  is  named  the  Ober- 
land,  the  high  district.  The  baths  and  places  of  public  resort 
are  in  tlie  Unterlaud.  There  is  a  finer  view  from  the  houses 
in  the  Oberland ;  but  it  is  necessary,  every  time  that  you  wish 
to  reach  the  sea,  to  descend  184  very  steep  steps,  and,  what  is 
far  worse,  to  reascend  them  when  you  return  home. 

The  great  charm  of  this  little  island  is  that  one  can  enjoy 
there  a  calm  and  quiet  life,  and  breathe  a  pure  and  bracing  air. 
You  can  take  pleasant  walks  by  the  seaside,  which  are  never 


i.  TOMIAiiiia^UJi'J 


Fig.  155.  —  View  of  Heligoland. 


long  enough  to  be  fatiguing,  and  can  make  delightful  sea-excur- 
sions all  around. 

The  inhabitants  have  manners  and  customs  peculiar  to  them- 
selves, and  have  preserved  their  original  costume.  They  live 
happily  and  quietly,  far  from  the  social  and  political  movements 
which  disturb  modern  society,  and  strangers  to  all  the  passions 
and  interests  by  which  we  are  governed.  When  once  the  bath- 
ing-season is  over,  communication  with  the  mainland  is  so  in- 
frequent and  difficult,  that  it  can  be  effected  only  at  irregular 
and  distant  periods. 

The  national  lanc^uat^e  is  Frieslandic,  the   official   language 


298  GERMANY, 


German,  and,  during  the  bathing-season,  much  English  and 
Swedish  are  spoken.  The  habitual  visitors  of  Heligoland  are, 
in  fact,  Germans,  English,  and  more  especially  Danes  or  Swedes, 
who  come  thither  to  enjoy  the  sea-bathing  of  the  South. 

We  did  not  go  to  Heligoland  to  examine  buildings  and  to 
trouble  ourselves  with  architecture;  nothing  was  further  from 
our  intention ;  and  yet  we  must  describe  our  lodging,  a  bathing 
establishment  which,  on  account  of  the  necessity  imposed  by 
its  required  southern  aspect,  fulfils  in  an  original  manner  the 
most  complicated  conditions  which  an  architect  could  be  required 
to  satisfy. 

It  may  easily  be  understood  with  what  violence  the  winds 
from  every  point  of  the  comj)ass  blow  on  this  unsheltered  rock 
in  the  midst  of  the  ocean.  The  westerly  winds  especially  are 
very  furious ;  the  noith-wind  is  excessively  cold ;  and  that  from 
the  east,  if  it  is  less  keen,  blows  more  frequently,  even  in  the 
fine  season ;  the  southern  aspect  alone  is  agreeable,  and  is 
always  preferred,  for  the  sea-breeze  moderates  the  heat  of 
summer. 

The  proprietor  of  this  bathing  establishment  required  his  ar- 
chitect to  plan  a  building  capable  of  containing  from  twenty-five 
to  thirty  bedrooms  for  visitors,  with  the  usual  apartments,  din- 
ing and  drawing  rooms,  kitchens,  offices,  etc.  It  was  to  be  fin- 
ished in  a  comfortable  but  simple  manner,  and  without  any 
complicated  decorations  and  costly  accessories  —  more  especially 
as  they  are  quite  unknown  in  the  island.  There  was  one  indis- 
pensable condition,  that  all  the  bedrooms  should  have  a  south- 
ern aspect,  and  receive  light  and  air  from  that  quarter  only. 
The  building  itself  was  to  consist  of  only  the  ground-floor  and 
one  upper  story. 

The  first  idea  which  strikes  one,  in  order  to  comply  with  these 
demands,  is  to  erect  a  simple  building,  with  walls  of  moderate 
thickness,  presenting  in  one  line  all  the  rooms  required;  but, 
first,  it  would  be  difficult  for  the  servants  to  attend  to  the  wants 
of  visitors  in  a  house  of  this  description,  and  a  greater  number 


HELIGOLAND 


299 


■I5- 


Pig.  166.  —  Ground-plan  of  Bathing  Establishment  at  Heligoland. 


1.  Porch. 

2.  Vestibule. 

3.  Hall. 

4.  Bar-room. 

5.  Porter's  lodge. 

6.  Office. 

7.  Director's  room. 

8.  Washing-room  and  closets. 


9.  Dining-room. 

10.  Small  drawing-room. 

11.  Domestic  offices. 

12.  Drawing-room. 

13.  Chambers  with  two  beds. 

14.  ♦'  "    one  bed. 

15.  Covered  balconies. 


300  GEKMANY. 


must  be  employed ;  and  then  a  plot  of  ground  with  a  frontage 
of  at  least  eighty-seven  yards  would  be  required,  and  the  land 
at  his  disposal  was  not  of  half  those  dimensions. 

The  architect,  who  is  said  to  have  been  an  Englishman,  solved 
the  problem  in  a  manner  which  it  would  be  difficult  to  explain 
without  the  assistance  of  the  accompanying  sketch  of  the 
ground-plan  (Fig.  156).  We  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that  this 
combination  is  ingenious,  and  though  we  should  not  recommend 
its  adoption  by  a  pupil  of  the  Ecole  des  Beaux  Arts  if  he 
wished  to  be  successful  in  a  competition,  he  might  afterwards 
make  use  of  it  in  the  exercise  of  his  profession.  There  is  no 
covered  entrance  for  carriages,  since  they  are  not  used  in  the 
island.  Under  the  porch  is  the  entrance  to  the  bar-room,  where 
liquors  and  spirits  are  sold,  and  partaken  of  by  customers  while 
standing  there.  After  this  comes  the  porter's  lodge;  opposite 
are  the  washing-room  and  closets  ;  then  the  entrance  to  the  large 
vestibule,  a  kind  of  hall  with  a  glass  roof  (Fig.  157),  and  in  the 
centre  rises  the  principal  staircase.  A  projecting  part  of  the 
rocks  which  run  along  the  coast  slielters  from  the  north-winds 
the  buildings  at  the  extremity,  which  are  only  domestic  offices 
and  dining-rooms.  The  bedrooms  occupy  the  two  side  wings ; 
the  sloping  direction  of  the  walls  gives  to  all  the  windows  a 
southern  aspect  and  a  view  of  the  sea.  In  front  of  each  of  these 
rooms  is  a  separate  triangular  balcony,  useful  and  pleasant  dur- 
ing fine  weather.  The  wind  may  thus  blow  from  three  points 
of  the  compass,  without  being  felt  by  the  inhabitants  of  these 
apartments,  which  are  thoroughly  sheltered  from  the  north,  the 
east,  and  the  west. 

In  the  basement  story  are  the  kitchens  and  offices.  On  the  first 
floor  there  is  nearly  the  same  arrangement  as  on  the  ground-floor, 
only,  instead  of  drawing  and  dining  rooms,  there  are  bedcham- 
bers ;  and  above  the  domestic  offices  are  the  linen-rooms,  bath- 
rooms, servants'  bedrooms,  etc.  The  covered  gallery,  which  forms, 
on  the  ground-floor,  an  annex  to  the  drawing-room,  and  opens  on 
a  garden  from  which  you  can  go  down  to  the  sea-shore,  forms  also 


HELIGOLAND.  301 


a  balcony  for  the  upper  rooms,  and  during  the  summer  it  is  cov- 
ered with  an  awning. 

The  buildino-  is  constructed  of  bricks  and  iron.     The  architect 

o 

does  not  seem  to  have  thought  of  ornamenting  the  fronts  in  the 
slightest  degree  (Fig.  158) ;  his  only  study  and  care  was  to  ar- 
range the  interior  conveniently.  The  hall,  and  the  staircase 
which  it  contains,  look  rather  grand ;  the  rooms  appear  small, 
but  each  piece  of  furniture  has  its  allotted  space.  The  sim- 
plicity of  the  plan  ado})ted  renders  communication  easy  between 
the  different  parts  of  the  building.  The  walls  are  thick  enough 
to  defy  the  rigor  of  the  climate,  so  that,  though  it  might  be  pos- 
sible to  find  fault  with  the  problem  submitted  to  the  architect,  we 
can  certainly  find  none  with  the  manner  in  which  it  has  been 
solved. 

We  must  also  remark  that  this  establishment  —  although  pri- 
marily intended  for  the  use  of  those  who  come  for  sea-bathing 
during  the  summer  —  is  occupied,  during  the  winter,  by  an  in- 
creasing number  of  tourists,  especially  English,  who  are  fond  of 
deep-sea  fishing,  and  who  come  and  reside  on  this  rock  to  satisfy 
this  taste,  —  rich,  idle,  liases  people,  ready  to  bear  any  privation, 
and  to  brave  the  dangers  of  a  storm,  in  the  hope  of  feeling  a  new 


sensation ;  but  still  willing,  on  their  return,  to  find  in  their  lodg- 
ings the  resources  of  a  refined  civilization,  and  the  means  of  sat- 
isfying their  luxurious,  self-indulgent,  expensive  habits.  They 
can  either  shut  themselves  up  in  their  rooms,  or  enjoy  each 
other's  society  in  the  drawing-room.  The  hall  serves  as  a  prom- 
enade during  rainy  or  snowy  days ;  and,  far  removed  from  those 
exciting  scenes  in  which  their  lives  are  usually  spent,  each  one 
can  indulge  in  occupations  suited  to  his  disposition,  and  adapted 
to  the  degree  of  cultivation  of  his  mind. 

Heligoland  offers  neither  the  pleasures  nor  the  amusements  of 
our  Norman  watering-places.  This  dull,  dreary  spot  does  not 
appeal  to  the  imagination  of  every  one.  In  order  to  enjoy  its 
seductive  charms,  we  must,  above  all,  thoroughly  love  the  sea, 
and  not  fear  the  monotony  of  an  existence  free  from  unforeseen 


302  GEHMAXY. 


changes.  Every  morning,  at  dawn  of  day,  the  professed  fisher- 
men and  the  courageous  English  girls  embark  and  stand  out  to 
sea.  The  bathers  stroll  down  to  one  of  the  two  strips  of  coast, 
and  then,  beneath  the  shelter  of  a  rock,  watch  the  tide  as  it 
rushes  up  and  washes  the  foot  of  the  clifls.  In  certain  parts 
these  are  red,  and  communicate  their  color  to  the  surrounding 
water ;  you  might  imagine  it  to  be  a  sea  of  blood.  Then,  as  the 
day  wears  on,  they  climb  to  the  signal-post,  count  the  sails  with- 
in sight,  follow  with  the  eye  the  flight  of  the  sea-gulls,  whose 
wings  lightly  glance  on  the  crest  of  a  wave,  or  are  lost  in  the 
mists  of  the  horizon.  Sometimes  a  sudden  breeze  springs  up, 
sweeps  along  the  sky,  and  brings  on  a  stomi,  and  every  one 
must  hasten  to  seek  shelter.  Three  times  a  week,  the  steamboat 
from  Hamburg  or  Bremen  brings  news  from  the  mainland ;  then 
the  natural  disposition  for  excitement  prevails ;  each  one  rushes 
to  the  journals,  and  devours  the  news  which  they  contain,  those 
of  France  and  of  Paris  more  especially,  and  yet,  —  a  fact  which 
filled  us  with  astonishment,  —  though  among  all  these  people 
there  is  not  a  single  Frenchman,  there  are  many  readers  of  the 
"  Figaro." 

In  the  evening  they  all  return  to  the  sea-shore.  The  phosphor- 
escence of  the  water  is  so  great,  that  when  the  wind  raises  the 
waves  ever  so  slightly,  and  dashes  them  against  the  rocks,  every 
drop  of  water  looks  like  a  luminous  aigrette,  which  is  reflected 
on  all  sides  on  the  surface  of  the  waves.  The  visitors  linger 
long  to  enjoy  this  curious  sight,  and  then  every  one  returns 
home,  prepared  to  recommence  on  the  morrow  the  occupations 
of  the  previous  day. 

This  calm,  monotonous  existence  has  a  great  effect  on  certain 
organizations,  on  minds  fatigued  and  worn  by  the  struggles  of 
life.  There  is  still  to  be  seen  a  small  house,  formerly  inhabited 
by  one  who  had  been  conquered  in  the  great  battle  of  modern 
society.  He  landed  on  this  rock,  one  day,  filled  with  disgust, 
and  dead  to  all  hope ;  at  least,  he  thought  so.  He  lived  there 
for  some  time,  calm  and  tranquil  in  appearance,  thinking  of  the 


£*  'I  I 


8fi  ihj 


HELIGOLAND.  303 


past,  lost  in  this  deep  solitude  in  which  he  found  repose,  in  front 
of  this  stormy  sea,  and  in  the  midst  of  this  barren  and  uninvit- 
ing land.  At  last  the  echoes  of  some  startling  event  in  Europe 
penetrated  even  to  this  spot ;  the  spark  was  rekindled  under  the 
ashes,  the  old  man  reappeared,  and,  rushing  afresh  into  the  ter- 
rible melee,  made  the  world  resound  with  his  name,  and  perished 
at  last  in  a  fearful  catastrophe. 

We  were  obliged,  however,  at  last  to  bid  farewell  to  the  little 
island.  A  vessel  which  neared  the  coast  of  Sleswig,  and  put 
into  Heligoland  for  a  pilot,  took  us  on  board,  and  carried  us  to 
Hussum,  a  port  on  the  North  Sea,  the  starting-point  for  the  ex- 
cursion which  we  desired  to  make  to  the  scene  of  the  war  of  the 
Duchies. 


304  GERMANY. 


THE   WAR   OF  THE   DUCHIES. 

PRELIMINARY  REMARKS.  — THE  AUSTRO-PRUSSIAN  ARMY.  — THE  DANISH  ARMY. 
—  THE  LINES  OF  DANEYIRKE.  —  TAKING  OF  MISSUNDB.  —  FORTIFICATIONS 
OF  DUPPEL.  —  TAKING  OF  DUPPEL  — THE  ISLAND  OF  ALSEN.  —  CONDITIONS 
OF  PEACE.  — THE  PRUSSIANS  DURING  THE  CAMPAIGN. 

PEUSSIA  had,  for  a  long  time,  cast  her  eyes  on  the  two 
duchies  of  Sleswig  and  Holstein;  she  found  that  they 
were  necessary  for  the  creation  and  development  of  her  mari- 
time power.  In  the  course  of  the  year  1863  —  thinking  that 
circumstances  were  favorable  for  the  execution  of  her  plan,  and 
under  the  pretext  that  Denmark  kept  troops  in  Holstein  —  they 
pretended  that  the  Danish  government  Avished  to  annex  this 
duchy.  In  order  to  avoid  any  serious  motive  for  a  conflict, 
Denmark  withdrew  her  troops.  Prussia  then  declared  herself 
the  champion  of  the  Duke  of  Augustenburg,  a  pretender  to  the 
sovereignty  of  the  duchy ;  and,  having  taken  this  first  step,  she 
hurried  on  the  necessary  preparations,  so  as  to  be  able  to  over- 
whelm her  neighbor  when  the  proper  moment  arrived. 

This  kind  of  attempt  was  then  new,  and  gave  promise  of  what 
took  place  afterwards.  One  of  the  causes  of  the  power  of  Prus- 
sia is  her  profound  contempt  for  the  trivial  considerations  of 
good  faith  and  sincerity.  To  pretend  that  feeble  Denmark 
thought  of  attacking  the  rights  of  the  powerful  Confederation 
was  a  bitter  mocker}^ ;  no  one  could  be  deceived  by  it,  or  feel 
any  doubt  of  the  result  of  the  conflict.  Europe  did  not  then 
suspect  the  ambitious  designs  of  M.  de  Bismarck,  which,  first 
revealed  in  1864,  were,  six  years  later,  to  establish  the  empire 
of  Germany. 


THE    WAR    OF    THE    DUCHIES.  305 


When  we  look  into  history,  we  are  utterly  astonished  that 
certain  events  could  have  taken  place  without  having  been  fore- 
seen. How  is  it,  —  men  are  always  repeating,  since  1871,  in 
the  reviews  and  daily  journals  and  in  conversation,  —  how  is  it 
that  Europe  did  not,  in  1864,  anticipate  the  result  of  her  indif- 
ference, and  why  did  she  not  come  to  the  help  of  Denmark  ? 
How  many  evils  might  have  been  avoided  by  such  intervention ! 
Sadowa  would  not  have  existed.  The  campaign  of  1870  would 
not  have  taken  place,  and  Prussia  would  not  have  been  the  ter- 
rible power  which  we  now  see  her  to  be. 

But  in  1864  France,  the  great  protector  of  right  and  justice, 
yielding  to  a  deplorable  policy,  remained  neutral.  The  Aus- 
trians,  to  maintain  their  influence  and  popularity  in  Germany, 
courageously  allied  themselves  with  the  strongest  side.  Eng- 
land still  felt  ill-will  against  Denmark,  on  account  of  the  treat- 
ment to  which  the  unfortunate  Maria  Caroline  had  been  sub- 
jected. Eussia  wished  to  see  the  issue  of  events  before  she  took 
any  part,  and  Sweden  was  not  sorry  for  the  humiliation  which 
she  foresaw  would  befall  the  neighbor  that  had  so  frequently 
been  her  conqueror.  Denmark  therefore  found  herself  alone  at 
the  opening  of  the  campaign ;  but  still  she  did  not  hesitate  to 
prepare  for  the  conflict,  without  any  boasting,  but,  at  the  same 
time,  without  despondency.  The  Danes  remembered  that  they 
had  already  beaten  the  Prussians  in  1848;  and,  although  M. 
de  Bismarck  boasted  that  he  would  soon  "  make  them  feel  the 
power  of  the  Prussian  arms,"  they  did  not  despair  of  the  result 
of  the  campaign  which  was  about  to  open.  But,  alas  !  they  still 
depended  on  the  help  of  France,  and  hoped  that,  at  the  last 
moment,  Sweden  would  remember  their  common  origin.  Diplo- 
matists were  excited,  and  rushed  hither  and  thither,  assuring 
the  Danish  ambassadors  of  their  officious  sympathy;  butj  be- 
fore they  decided  officially,  they  waited  to  see  which  side  would 
be  successful.  AVe  know  by  experience  this  situation,  and  the 
value  of  promises  of  this  nature. 

The  concentration  of  the  Austro-Prussian  troops  was  effected 


106  GERMANY. 


at  the  end  of  January,  1864.  They  were  assembled  in  Holstein, 
under  the  command  of  the  Prussian  Field-Marshal  Wrangel. 
The  reason  given  for  taking  up  arms  was  to  carry  out  the  wishes 
of  the  inhabitants  of  Holstein  to  be  governed  by  the  Duke  of 
Augustenburg.  The  allied  army  had  been  divided  into  two 
corps;  the  Prussians,  to  the  number  of  42,000  men,  with  110 
guns,  formed  the  right  wing,  commanded  by  the  Prince  Royal, 
Frederick  Charles.  The  Austrians,  who  numbered  32,500  men, 
with  48  guns,  formed  the  left  wing,  commanded  by  Field-Mar- 
shal De  Goblenz ;  so  that  there  were  in  round  numbers,  exclu- 
sive of  the  sick  and  non-combatants,  158  guns  and  60,000  men, 
prepared  long  before,  perfectly  equipped,  and  well  trained.^ 

The  Danish  army  was  far  from  being  in  such  a  good  condi- 
tion. The  men  who  composed  it  were  mostly  mobilized  corps, 
for  the  effective  force  in  time  of  peace  is  very  small,  only  about 
8,000  men.  The  troops  were  not  fully  officered,  and  the  artil- 
lery was  insufficient ;  35,000  soldiers  were  assembled  with  great 
difficulty  in  Sleswig,  under  the  command  of  General  De  Meza. 
Denmark  distrusted  her  old  enemy,  Germany.^  She  remem- 
bered the  war  of  1848,  and,  to  guard  against  an  attack,  she 
had  Ions:  before  begun  a  line  of  defence,  the  Danevirke,  estab- 
lished  at  the  place  where  the  Fjord  of  Schley  encroaclies  on  the 
shore,  in  front  of  Hussum,  and  considerably  reduces  the  width 
of  the  peninsula.  The  extreme  points  of  this  line  were  Mis- 
sunde,  on  the  Baltic,  and  Friedrickstadt,  on  the  Xorth  Sea ;  the 
intermediate  space  was  broken  by  marshy  lands,  by  enclosed 
portions,  and  by  water-courses,  the  river  Eyder  amongst  others. 
This  line  would  therefore  have  presented  a  serious  obstacle  to 
the  march  of  the  allied  armies.  Unfortunately,  the  works  ne- 
cessary to  complete  its  defence  had  not  been  kept  in  good  order- 
They  were  repaired  as  well  as  possible,  and  finished  in  haste, 
but  in  an  insufficient  manner,  and  pieces  of  artillery  were  want- 

1  "  Annuaire  des  deux  mondes."     Paris,  1864  ;  Dagbladet,  Copenhagen,  1864. 
^  According  to  an  old  Danish  proverb,  Denmark  could  not  fail  of  being  happy 
if  there  were  no  Germany. 


THE    WAR    OF    THE    DUCHIES.  307 

ing  for  the  fortifications.  The  Danish  army  determined  to  await 
the  attack  behind  the  Danevirke. 

The  Prussians  passed  the  Eyder.  On  February  5  they  were 
before  Missunde,  and  opened  fire  immediately ;  the  Danes  re- 
plied but  feebly.  The  Prussian  artillery  destroyed  Missunde 
without  injuring  the  intrenchments.  There  was  -a  thick  fog. 
The  Prussians  advanced,  but,  being  no  longer  supported  by 
their  batteries,  the  same  thing  happened  as  is  usual  under  such 
circumstances ;  they  gave  way  and  retreated  before  the  Danes. 
The  exploits  of  this  day  were  confined  to  the  destruction  of 
the  village  of  Missunde ;  and  yet,  at  the  close  of  the  skirmish. 
Prince  Frederick  Charles,  with  that  burlesque  German  pom- 
posity which  nothing  can  equal,  ventured  to  say  to  his  soldiers, 
parodying  the  celebrated  proclamation  of  Xapoleon  I. :  "  When 
you  return  to  your  homes,  you  will  only  have  to  say,  I  was  at 
Missunde  !  and  every  one  will  cry,  This  is  a  brave  man."  As  to 
the  Austrians,  they  had  advanced  on  their  side,  and  were  at  tlie 
other  extremity  of  the  Danevirke,  near  Friedrickstadt. 

Still  the  situation  of  the  Danes  did  not  improve.  At  war 
even  with  the  elements,  they  had  to  endure  the  severity  of  such 
a  winter  that  the  Fjord  of  Schley,  in  which  they  trusted  as 
opposing  an  impassable  barrier  to  the  enemy,  had  to  be  crossed 
and  recrossed  incessantly  by  a  steamboat,  to  break  the  ice,  and 
to  keep  a  free  passage  in  the  midst  of  the  water. 

When  affairs  were  in  this  state,  General  ]\Ieza,  finding  him- 
self insecure  behind  the  Danevirke  lines,  and  fearing  another 
attack  on  his  intrenchments,  which  he  knew  to  be  insufficient 
to  protect  him,  decided  on  retiring,  that  he  might  not  compro- 
mise, without  any  chance  of  success,  the  safety  of  an  army  on 
which  the  hopes  of  his  country  depended. 

His  retreat  was  effected  in  good  order,  but  the  indignation 
excited  in  Denmark  by  this  movement  was  immense.  They 
demanded  that  the  commander-in-chief  should  be  superseded, 
and  they  shouted  treason,  as  a  nation  unfortunately  always 
does  when  success  does  not  crown   their   efforts  and  desires. 


308 


GEKMANY. 


Distrust  began  to  show  itself  in  the  ranks  of  the  army,  and  it 
was  under  a  bad  impression  that  the  regiments  were  re-formed 
before  the  island  of  Alsen,  behind  the  fortifications  of  Duppel 
in  Sleswig,  and  Fredericia  in  Jutland. 

They  had  depended  on  the  line  of  Danevirke  to  keep  the 
Austro-Prussians  in  check  till  the  time  necessary  for  finishing 
the  defences  of  Duppel.     Thus  nothing  was  completed,  and  the 


Fig.  159.  —  Blindage  in  the  Lines  of  Danevirke. 

sudden  retreat  of  the  army  disturbed  and  threw  into  disorder 
the  plans  that  were  to  be  adopted.  Notwithstanding  this,  the 
willino-ness,  courai^e,  and  zeal  of  all,  both  officers  and  soldiers, 
were  so  gi^eat,  that  the  necessary  defences  were  soon,  if  not  en- 
tirely finished,  at  least  in  a  condition  to  be  utilized.  The  cold 
was  too  severe  to  allow  works  in  masonry  to  be  carried  on,  but 
they  supplied  their  place  by  erections  in  timber,  bound  together 


THE    WAR    OF    THE    DUCHIES.  309 

by  iron  bolts  and  wire,  and  covered  with  earth ;  but  this  earth 
itself  was  so  hardened  by  the  frost,  that  it  was  tedious  and  difh- 
cult  to  work  in  it. 

We  give  here  sketches  of  two  works  of  this  kind,  from  models 
X^reserved  in  the  museum  at  Copenhagen.  The  first  (Fig.  159) 
is  a  blindage,  intended  to  serve  as  a  covered  way  between  two 
trenches.  The  system  adopted  is  composed  of  a  framework  cov- 
ered with  a  mass  of  earth,  by  which  means  its  height  may  be 
lessened.  The  balks,  w^hich  form  the  supports,  are  double.  They 
are  more  widely  separated  at  their  lower  extremities,  and  rest 
on  bearers  let  into  the  ground.  Cross-pieces,  tongued,  and  se- 
curely tied,  and  iron  bands,  support  and  strengthen  them  half- 
way up.  At  the  upper  end  is  a  cross-beam,  on  which  rest  the 
balks  of  timber,  serving  as  a  roof.  These  timbers  and  the 
sides  are  covered  with  earth.  The  trusses  are  placed  at  a  dis- 
tance of  1  foot  8  inches,  2  feet  3  inches,  or  3  feet  3  inches 
from  each  other,  according  to  the  weight  which  they  have  to 
support. 

The  blindage  just  described,  which  was  constructed  at  the 
commencement  of  the  w^ar,  before  the  Danes  had  realized  the 
force  of  rifled  cannon,  had  not  been  covered  with  a  sufficient 
thickness  of  earth  to  prevent,  for  any  length  of  time,  the  chance 
of  rupture  or  of  sudden  accident ;  but  in  the  next  example  (Fig. 
160)  the  Danes  had  profited  by  experience.  The  supports  are 
double.  Two  vertical  poles,  fixed  in  soles  buried  in  the  ground, 
suj^port  two  cross-beams  inclined  at  an  angle  of  45°,  which  are 
bound  together  by  a  horizontal  beam,  meeting  two  other  cross- 
pieces  resting  on  the  ends  of  the  vertical  j)oles,  and  fixed 
obliquely,  so  as  to  unite  and  cross  at  the  upper  ends.  These 
double  trusses,  placed  at  a  distance  of  two  feet  from  each  other, 
are  firmly  bound  together  by  bolts  and  iron  wire.  At  the  sides 
and  on  the  top  are  laid  balks  of  timber,  forming  the  walls  and 
the  roof  An  enormous  mass  of  earth,  of  from  13  to  17  feet  in 
thickness,  is  heaped  upon  the  whole.  Blindages  of  this  kind 
have  been  proved  by  experience  to  be  possessed  of  an  elastic 


310 


GERMANY. 


force  capable  of  resisting  the  shock  of  the  most  formidable  pro- 
jectiles of  modern  artillery. 
In  spite  of  the  rigor  of  the  season,  the  Danes  labored  without 


Fig.  160. —Improved  Blindage. 


rest  or  cessation.     The  works  at  Duppel,  which  were  necessary 
to  be  completed,  comprised  ten  redoubts,  eight  enclosed  and 


THE    WAR    OF    THE    DUCHIES.  311 

two  open  ones,  disj)osed  round  an  arc  of  a  circle,  and  connected 
together  by  trenches  and  works,  of  which  our  sketches  may  give 
some  idea.  In  front  of  the  salients  of  the  bastions  7,  8,  and  9, 
on  which  it  was  supposed  that  the  attacks  of  the  enemy  woidd 
be  made,  were  outworks  and  obstacles  intended  to  keep  them 
in  check.  But  we  saw,  in  the  siege  of  Paris,  that  the  mode  of 
attack  adopted  by  the  Prussians  —  by  the  use  of  artillery  of  long 
range  —  renders  precautions  of  this  kind  almost  useless.  With- 
in the  first  line  of  defence  there  was  another,  less  strong,  com- 
posed of  bastions,  covering  a  trench ;  the  approach  to  which  was 
defended  by  a  glacis  surmounted  by  pointed  stakes  and  a  fence 
of  iron  wire.  The  intention  of  this  second  defence  was  to  pro- 
tect the  retreat  of  the  army  if  routed.  This  precaution  shows 
an  unusual  amount  of  foresight,  for  unfortunately  before  the 
battle  people  reckon  too  confidently  on  victory,  and  do  not  suf- 
ficiently provide  against  the  possibility  of  defeat. 

The  artillery  which  defended  all  these  works  could  not  con- 
tend with  the  rifled  cannon  of  the  Prussian  army,  of  the  great 
range  and  force  of  which  the  Danes  were  utterly  ignorant. 
When,  therefore,  they  constructed  their  intrenchments,  they  did 
not  think  it  necessary  to  make  them  of  the  necessary  dimensions 
to  resist  the  overwhelming  effect  of  these  new  projectiles.  We 
ought  to  make  some  excuse  for  them,  since  after  the  war  of  the 
Duchies,  and  the  Austrian  campaign,  we  did  not  know  much 
more  than  in  1870. 

In  addition  to  the  defensive  works  on  land,  the  Danes  had 
recourse  to  an  ironclad  monitor  cruising  along  the  coast,  —  a 
new  warlike  engine,  which  then  for  the  first  time  took  part  in 
regular  warfare  in  Europe. 

.  The  Danish  troops,  sheltered  behind  the  works  of  Duppel,  or 
intrenched  in  the  island  of  Alsen,  re-formed  their  regiments, 
and  filled  up  the  number  of  their  officers ;  but  their  equipments 
and  their  supplies  of  provisions  had  suffered  considerable  loss 
during  the  first  part  of  the  war  and  the  retreats  that  had  fol- 
lowed.    The  soldiers  were  worn  out  by  their  labors  in  complet- 


312  GERMANY 


ing  the  defensive  works,  digging  the  trenches,  increasing  the 
tliickness  of  the  slopes,  traverses,  and  covered  ways,  forming 
casements  for  the  guns,  and  making  sorties  upon  the  Prussians, 
who  themselves  do  not  follow  up  their  guns,  and  never  seek  to 
take  an  obstacle  by  assault,  but  destroy  it  with  their  artillery 
before  the  soldiers  approach  it.  These  fatigues  caused  much  sick- 
ness. The  weather  became  rainy.  When  they  retired  from  the 
trenches,  with  their  clothes  saturated  with  water,  and  had  to 
run  to  the  advanced  posts,  they  suffered  from  the  sudden  cold, 
and,  notwithstanding  the  energy  and  the  strong  constitution  of 
the  men,  many  succumbed  to  it. 

The  Danish  uniform  consisted  of  pantaloons  of  blue  cloth  con- 
cealed by  large  and  strong  boots,  a  short  vest,  and  over  this  a 
long  brown  capote  ;  tjie  knapsack  unrolled  so  as  to  form  a  kind 
of  skin,  which,  when  spread  on  the  ground,  made  a  dry  and 
healthy  bed.  Besides  this  knapsack,  each  soldier  carried  a 
wallet  of  white  cloth,  containing  provisions  for  the  day ;  some 
fresh  beef  and  salt  pork,  without  vegetables,  some  barley-bread, 
brandy,  and  coffee.  The  muskets  were  of  old-fashioned  con- 
struction, rather  heavy,  and  consequently  very  inferior  to  the 
rapidly  firing  guns  of  the  Prussians. 

"We  see,  from  this,  the  inferiority  of  the  Danish  army  in  com- 
parison with  that  of  the  Austro-Prussians,  and  yet  the  latter 
did  not  decide  on  making  an  attack  upon  them.  The  Austrians 
remained  in  observation  before  Fredericia,  having  thus  invaded 
Jutland,  which  gave  a  new  aspect  to  the  campaign,  and  turned 
it  into  a  war  of  conquest. 

The  Austrians  had  also  to  contend  against  a  grave  comj^lica- 
tion  which  arose  amon^^  the  reoiments  of  different  nationalities 
of  which  their  army  was  composed.  The  Hungarian  contingents 
had  revolted,  being  ashamed  of  aiding  their  conqueror  to  subdue 
a  nation  struggling  to  preserve  its  autonomy.  It  was  feared 
lest  this  spirit  of  revolt  should  affect  the  Italians,  and  then  the 
Poles  of  the  duchy  of  Posen.  A  terriljle  act  of  repression  stifled 
the  mutiny  in  the  bud.     It  is  said  that  300  Hungarian  officers 


THE    WAR    OF    THE    DUCHIES.  313 

and  soldiers  were  executed,  but  the  hopes  excited  by  this  eveut 
in  Denmark  soon  vanished. 

The  siege  of  Duppel  was  regularly  carried  on.  The  Prussians 
fortified  themselves  in  their  positions,  to  prepare  for  a  retreat 
in  case  of  a  defeat.  They  remembered  that  in  1848  they  had 
been  beaten  and  repulsed  before  this  very  city  by  the  same 
General  Meza,  and  were  unwilling  to  venture  on  a  decisive 
blow  without  a  certainty  of  success.  For  this  purpose  they 
occupied  the  heights  all  around,  placed  masked  batteries  behind 
copses  of  trees  and  slight  mounds  of  earth,  not  to  be  removed 
till  the  last  moment.  This  is  a  plan  familiar  to  them,  and  the 
bravery  of  the  Danes  formed  a  striking  contrast  with  this  j)ru- 
dence.  One  instance  of  this  may  be  given.  The  correct  aim 
of  the  Prussian  rifles  astonished  the  Danes.  It  was  necessary 
to  ascertain  the  precision  of  their  aim,  in  order  to  provide 
against  it  and  protect  themselves.  For  this  purpose  an  officer 
ventured  alone  to  a  distance  of  about  sixteen  hundred  or  two 
thousand  feet  in  an  open  space,  thus  serving  as  a  mark  for  the 
balls  of  the  enemy.  He  observed  the  discharge  and  noted  the 
deviation  of  the  ball,  which  at  this  distance  was  about,  a  yard. 

The  bombardment  of  Duppel  commenced  on  March  27.  The 
Danes  abandoned  the  town  after  having  burnt  it,  and  retired 
behind  the  fortifications,  which  up  to  this  time  had  not  greatly 
suffered. 

On  March  29  the  Prussians  attempted  an  assault,  but  were 
repulsed  with  loss.  The  soldiers,  as  soon  as  they  found  them- 
selves within  range  of  the  enemy's  projectiles,  threw^  themselves 
flat  on  the  ground,  refusing  to  advance,  in  spite  of  the  commands 
of  their  officers.^  After  this  check,  the  Prussians  did  not  quit 
their  lines,  leaving  the  artillery  to  do  its  w^ork.  In  such  contests 
as  these,  the  valor  of  the  soldiers  counts  for  nothing.  It  was 
out  of  their  power  to  approach  the  Prussian  batteries;  their 
strength  rendered  it  impossible  that  any  attempt  of  this  kind 
should  succeed,  and  surprises  in  such  a  contracted  space  were 

1  "Le  Danemark,"  par  Oscar  Comettant. 


314  GERMANY 


impracticable.  The  Danes,  whose  guns  could  not  reach  the 
enemy's  batteries,  now  only  made  use  of  them  to  repel  an  as- 
sault. As  to  the  Prussian  cannons,  they  were  never  silent.  It 
had  been  hoped  that  they  would  spare  Sunderborg,  an  unfortified 
town.  This  was  a  strange  delusion,  for  the  town  was  destroyed. 
On  April  2  the  bombardment  was  resumed  with  greater  vigor. 
By  the  14th  the  Danish  intrenchments  had  already  received 
50,000  projectiles.  The  defensive  works  had  been  destroyed. 
The  garrison,  worn  out  by  disease  and  privations  of  all  kinds, 
diminished  by  their  losses,  which  amounted  to  from  100  to  200 
men  per  day,  were  exhausted,  and  were  no  longer  in  a  condition 
to  continue  the  struggle.  The  j)sycliolo(jical  moment  seemed  to 
have  arrived ;  none  of  the  hoped-for  and  expected  reinforcements 
came,  and  yet  the  Prussians,  fearing  a  reverse,  dared  not  attemjDt 
the  assault.  The  enemy,  deprived  of  all  their  resources,  weak- 
ened by  months  of  privations  and  physical  and  moral  sufferings, 
still  appeared  to  them  too  formidable.  They  waited  till  the 
17th,  and,  thinking  that  by  this  time  the  Danes  could  no  longer 
even  hold  their  guns,  they  recommenced  the  bombardment  with 
extreme  violence.  In  the  course  of  thirty-six  hours  they  threw 
30,000  projectiles  into  the  enemy's  intrenchments,  and  then  at  last 
decided  o]i  forminof  the  attackinsj  columns.  But  even  then  —  a 
thing  which  is  scarcely  credible  —  the  Danes,  whose  strength  and 
courage  might  have  been  thought  to  be  utterly  prostrated,  roused 
themselves  with  fresh  energy,  instead  of  surrendering,  and, 
thougli  without  hope  and  certain  of  defeat,  they  all  fought  like 
heroes.  Out  of  10,000  men  who  were  engaged,  2,000  fell,  2,000 
were  made  prisoners,  and  the  rest  crossed  the  Little  Belt  and 
retired  to  the  island  of  Alsen,  after  having  cut  the  bridges  which 
connected  the  island  with  the  mainland,^  the  extremities  of 
which  bridges  were  defended  till  the  last  moment  by  a  body  of 
brave  men  who  sacrificed  themselves  for  the  common  safety. 

1  This  manoeiivre  was  very  skilfully  executed,  by  means  of  gunners  fastened 
by  chains  to  the  movable  bridges.  At  a  given  signal  these  men  set  themselves  in 
motion,  dragging  the  bridges  after  them. 


THE    WAR    OF    THE    DUCHIES.  315 

This  was  the  last  effort  of  the  Danes.  They  attempted  to 
fortify  themselves  in  the  island  of  Alsen,  but  they  had  lost  all 
hope  and  all  ardor.  The  soldiers,  having  no  longer  any  confi- 
dence in  success,  saw  traitors  and  spies  everywhere,  and  the 
struggle  was  thenceforth  continued  only  to  sustain  to  the  last 
the  honor  of  the  national  flao-. 

The  Prussians  did  not  profit  by  the  advantages  gained.  They 
dared  not  attack  the  island  of  Alsen,  which  the  Danish  fleet 
could  still  effectually  protect,  and  perhaps  retake  if  they  were 
to  gain  possession  of  it.  They  preferred  to  extend  their  con- 
quests, and  a  part  of  the  allied  army  combined  with  the  Aus- 
trians  to  take  possession  of  Fredericia,  which  could  not  resist, 
but  fell  into  their  hands  on  April  28.  Three  days  afterwards 
the  Austrian  fleet  allowed  itself  to  be  beaten  by  that  of  the 
Danes  off  the  coast  of  Heligoland,  where  it  had  been  compelled 
to  take  shelter  under  cover  of  the  English  guns.  But  this  suc- 
cess could  have  no  influence  over  the  issue  of  this  disastrous 
campaign,  the  result  of  which  was  already  considered  desperate ; 
therefore  a  suspension  of  arms  was  agreed  upon  on  May  12. 

The  situation  of  the  Danes  was  deplorable;  the  fourth  part 
of  their  army  had  been  destroyed ;  they  had  now  only  twenty 
rifled  cannon  left.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Austro-Prussians 
occupied  Sleswig,  Holstein,  and  a  part  of  Jutland ;  their  army 
of  sixty  thousand  men  lived  at  the  expense  of  the  conquered 
country.  This  is  one  of  the  laws  of  war,  and  we  know  well  how 
conscientiously  the  Prussians  carry  it  out. 

A  conference  was  held  in  London  to  arrange  terms,  but  no 
result  could  be  obtained  before  the  end  of  the  armistice.  Hos- 
tilities were  therefore  resumed  on  May  26,  and  on  the  28th  the 
Prussians  took  the  island  of  Alsen.  This  conquest  was  not  dif- 
ficult, since  the  Danes  could  no  longer  defend  themselves ;  men, 
rations,  and  ammunition  were  wanting.  They  abandoned  the 
island,  and  retired  into  the  island  of  Funen,  whither  the  Prus- 
sians did  not  pursue  them.  N"o  more  Danes  remained  on  the 
mainland.      The   Germans   completely   occupied   Jutland,   and 


;16  GERMANY. 


prepared  to  cross  the  Little  Belt,  to  invade  Funen ;  but  on  July 
20  an  armistice  was  signed.  It  was  changed  on  August  1  into 
a  final  suspension  of  arms,  and  afterwards  a  treaty  of  peace  was 
imposed  upon  Denmark. 

The  Duchies  were  to  be  annexed  to  the  Confederation  under 
certain  conditions  ;  the  payment  of  that  part  of  the  Danish  debt 
which  referred  to  the  Duchies  was  still  to  be  paid  by  them. 
Prussia  had  the  right  to  make  a  canal  between  the  Baltic  and 
North  Seas,  a  condition  of  immense  importance  to  them,  since 
this  canal  would  open  a  free  communication  with  the  ocean  for 
their  fleet,  without  compelling  them  to  pass  the  Sound  through 
the  Danish  and  Swedish  waters.  As  to  the  Duke  of  Augusten- 
burg,  whose  pretensions  to  the  sovereignty  of  the  Duchies  had 
served  as  a  pretext  for  M.  de  Bismarck  to  commence  hostilities, 
his  name  was  not  mentioned  during  the  debate. 

A  year  afterwards,  a  misunderstanding  arose  between  the 
joint  proprietors  of  the  Duchies ;  Austria  and,  Prussia  declared 
war  asjainst  each  other,  and  came  to  blows. 

The  consequences  of  the  annexation  were  deplorable  for  Sles- 
wig.  Though  the  inhabitants  were  greatly  attached  to  Denmark, 
they  saw  themselves  violently  severed  from  it,  and  united  with 
Germany,  which  they  detested.  The  proceedings  of  the  con- 
querors were  also  not  calculated  to  gain  the  affection  of  the  con- 
quered people  ;  the  exactions  and  the  enormous  taxes  so  violently 
imposed  were  the  prelude  to  vexations  of  all  kinds.  The  simple 
and  unsophisticated  feelings  of  this  courageous  people  were  con- 
stantly hurt  by  the  gross  instincts  and  rough  manners  of  their 
new  masters ;  yet,  notwithstanding  the  misery  endured  by  the 
whole  country,  not  a  single  inhabitant  would  take  advantage  of 
the  aid  sent  from  Berlin.  Societies  were  formed  to  facilitate 
emigration  en  masse  among  the  peasants  who  wished  to  quit  the 
country,  and  meetings  were  held  in  the  towns  imploring  the 
assistance  of  France.  Unfortunately,  France  remained  unmoved, 
keeping  in  its  scabbard  that  sword  which  had  so  often  protected 
the  feeble  and  the  oppressed,  and  which  in  our  own  times  had 


THE    WAR    OF    THE    DUCHIES.  317 

defended  Turkey  and  created  Italy.  Then  silence  fell  on  this 
great  catastrophe,  and  Prussia  had,  unsuspected  by  the  whole  of 
Europe,  taken  the  first  step  in  her  career  of  fortune.  Might  had 
overwhelmed  right. 

We  will  now  finish  this  sketch  with  some  details  of  the  man- 
ner in  which  Prussia  behaved  during  the  war. 

They  almost  entirely  destroyed  Sunderborg,  an  unfortified 
town,  which  w^as  not  exposed  to  the  fire  of  the  batteries 
directed  against  Duppel.  In  the  island  of  Alsen,  they  burnt 
detached  farms,  destroyed  Kjer,  Eonhavis,  and  all  the  villages 
along  the  coast,  merely  for  the  satisfaction  of  doing  mischief, 
and  thus  going  back  to  the  state  of  civilization  and  morals 
of  many  centuries  ago,  —  a  crime  with  which  they  have  been 
openly  reproached. 

At  each  suspension  of  hostilities  both  sides  made  an  exchange 
of  dead.  The  uniforms  of  those  sent  back  by  the  Prussians  had 
been  stripped  of  their  buttons  and  lace;  the  officers  had  been 
deprived  of  their  decorations ;  all  their  jewelry,  money,  and 
other  valuables  had  disappeared,  and  their  pockets  were  turned 
inside  out. 

Towards  the  end  of  the  campaign  the  Danes  stood  on  their 
ruined  intrenchments,  w^aiting  for  an  invisible  enemy  who  had 
hidden  behind  their  cannons  ;  in  fact,  it  is  a  plan  always  adopted 
by  the  Prussians  never  to  show  themselves  openly,  or  to  give 
any  signs  of  their  presence.  They  hide  themselves  in  a  hole  or 
behind  a  tree ;  you  may  be  close  upon  them,  and  suspect  that 
they  are  there,  but  you  do  not  see  them.  There  is  never  any 
fire  in  their  camp,  the  smoke  of  which  might  betray  them ;  they 
go  forward,  working  slowly,  without  rest  or  intermission,  till  at 
last  one  day  a  "rideau"  of  turf  is  thrown  down,  an  "epaule- 
ment"  disappears  during  the  night,  and  unmasks  a  new  bat- 
tery. All  these  precautions  are  fair  in  war ;  they  show  great 
prudence,  and  a  perfect  knowledge  of  the  character  of  the  Ger- 
man soldier,  who  could  not  stand  against  the  impetuosity  of 
the  charge  of  a  French  regiment,  but  who  could  remain  for 


318  GERMANY. 


hours  together  croucliing  at  the  bottom  of  a  ditch.  The  in- 
stincts of  bravery  and  chivalry,  noble,  delicate,  and  elevated 
sentiments,  excite  a  smile  in  a  German.  They  would  never 
have  said  to  the  English  at  the  siege  of  Fontenoy,  "  Gentlemen, 
pray  fire  first." 

During  the  whole  of  this  long  and  terrible  campaign  the 
energy  and  resolution  of  the  Danes  never  failed  for  an  instant ; 
the  patriotic  feeling  with  which  they  were  animated  was  so 
powerful  that  it  caused  them  to  do  wonders ;  but  they  sought 
in  vain  to  contend  against  an  enemy  whom  they  could  not  dis- 
cover, but  who  from  a  distance  thundered  upon  them  with  his 
terrible  artillery.  Xo  reverses  daunted  them,  but  they  marched 
against  the  enemy,  raising  their  heads  aloft  in  the  midst  of  a 
shower  of  projectiles,  while  the  explosion  of  a  shell  made  the 
Prussians  fall  flat  on  their  faces,  with  Prince  Frederick  Charles 
at  their  head,  in  the  island  of  Alsen  on  April  27,  1864 

The  Germans  were  armed  with  superior  rifles  and  cannon; 
they  were  four  to  one  in  number,  and  in  many  cases  they  were 
beaten  and  suffered  great  losses  when  they  were  no  longer  pro- 
tected by  their  batteries.  But  their  rodomontades  and  their 
inordinate  vanity  exaggerated  the  slightest  advantages  gained, 
coolly  changing  defeats  into  splendid  victories.  One  day  three 
Danish  officers  and  sixteen  soldiers  went  to  a  small  island  near 
Alsen,  and  spiked  two  of  the  guns  of  a  battery  which,  since  the 
preceding  evening,  had  annoyed  the  Danish  force.  This  bold 
exploit  so  astonished  the  Germans,  that  the  next  day  they  took 
the  credit  of  it  to  themselves. 

The  Danes  bore  with  the  most  noble  firmness  the  misfortunes 
which  befell  them.  The  soldiers,  as  w^ell  as  their  officers,  had 
a  high  sense  of  their  duty  and  their  dignity ;  astonished  to  see 
the  Prussians  always  well  informed  as  to  their  plans  and  prep- 
arations, they  supposed  themselves  to  be  surrounded  by  spies 
and  traitors.  Such  is,  unfortunately,  the  impression  of  every 
soldier  when  defeated;  yet  their  discipline  did  not  for  an  in- 
stant relax,  and  after  their  retreat  into  the  island  of  Alsen,  in 


THE    WAR    OF    THE    DUCHIES.  319 

the  midst  of  the  general  disorder,  an  eyewitness  ^  declares  that 
he  never  saw  a  single  drunken  man. 

It  was  not  our  intention,  in  thus  referring  to  some  of  the 
events  of  the  war  of  the  Duchies,  in  which  the  Prussians  com- 
menced the  series  of  their  conquests,  to  have  the  puerile  satis- 
faction of  exciting  the  reader's  feelings.  We  will  no  longer 
proceed  to  draw  inferences  which  every  one  will  doubtless  do 
for  himself;  but  it  seemed  necessary,  when  passing  through  the 
country  which  had  been  the  theatre  of  this  memorable  struggle, 
to  recall  the  remembrance  of  contemporary  facts,  which  seem 
already  to  have  happened  long  ago  in  comparison  with  those 
of  which  we  have  so  lately  been  the  victims. 

It  is  not  our  business  now  to  deal  with  political  questions ; 
nevertheless,  it  will  not  be  out  of  place  to  show  the  similarity 
of  the  means  employed  by  Prussia  against  her  enemies  in  1864, 
1866,  and  1870.  The  same  plans  preceded  the  declaration  of 
war;  it  was  always  Prussia  that  was  attacked,  and  that  acted 
on  the  defensive.^  Then,  when  war  was  declared,  it  was  found 
that  these  people,  taken  unawares,  were  in  an  admirable  state 
of  preparation,  —  that  their  troops  were  concentrated,  their  sol- 
diers trained,  their  arsenals  full,  their  arms  perfected;  while 
their  opponents  had  not  a  man  or  a  piece  of  artillery  to  employ, 
and,  during  the  time  so  valuable  to  them  for  making  prelimi- 
nary arrangements,  they  were  compelled  to  fight  without  being 
able  to  find  an  ally  or  a  su]3porter. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  this  is  excellent  warfare.  Perhaps  it 
is  better  to  see  others  use  such  means  than  to  do  so  ourselves ; 
at  all  events,  the  best  way  to  lessen  their  influence  in  the  future 
is  to  speak  of  them,  and  to  make  them  known. 

How  is  it  that  at  a  period  like  the  present,  when  railways, 
steamboats,  and  telegraphs  enable  people  to  know  so  well  and 
so  rapidly  what  passes  in  other  countries,  we  are  so  completely 

1  "Le  Danemark,"  par  Oscar  Comettant. 

2  Prussia  and  Austria  contained,  in  1874,  70,000,000  inhabitants  ;  Denmark 
only  1,600,000. 


GERMAN  Y 


ignorant  of  what  the  Germans  are  doing,  while  they  know  so 
thoroughly  all  that  happens  amongst  ourselves  ?  The  thing  is 
easily  to  be  understood.  We  never  visit  them,  we  do  not  read 
their  books,  and  but  seldom  translate  them ;  they  are  constantly 
in  France,  they  read  and  make  translations  of  all  that  we  write. 
It  is  easy  for  us  to  follow  their  example,  and,  in  doing  so,  we 
shall  be  more  and  more  convinced  of  the  advantages  which  we 
may  derive  from  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  good  qualities 
and  faults  of  our  adversaries,  so  as  to  be  able  to  imitate  the 
former  and  avoid  the  latter. 


DENMARK 


DENMARK. 

JUTLAND.  — THE   LITTLE   BELT. —  A  FERRY-BOAT.  —  A  FARM.  —  FUNEN.  —  THE 
GREAT  BELT.  — THE  ISLAND  OP  ZEALAND, 

"Since  we  have  begun  to  go  beyond  our  own  frontiers  and  look  around  us,  we 
have  as  yet  no  thorough  knowledge  of  any  country,  except  of  England  and  Ger- 
many, i  When  we  shall  have  gone  a  step  farther,  and  visited  Denmark,  we  shall 
be  surprised  to  find  that  there  are  treasures  amassed  in  a  city  to  which  we  are 
accustomed  to  attribute  but  little  influence,  and  learned  men  dispersed  through  a 
country  which  one  of  our  journals  lately  called  a  land  almost  barbarous."  — X. 
Marmier, 

AS  soon  as  we  pass  the  new  frontier  which  divides  the 
empire  of  Germany  from  the  kingdom  of  Denmark,  the 
country  changes  its  aspect ;  it  is  as  flat  as  ever,  but  seems  less 
dull  and  monotonous.  The  peat-bogs  are  intersected  by  large 
woods ;  animals  are  seen  feeding  in  the  meadows,  tied  to  sep- 
arate stakes  at  regular  intervals,  as  in  Holland.  Here  and 
there  appears,  like  a  colored  dot  in  the  midst  of  a  gray  or 
green  ground,  a  red  hut,  a  blue  farm,  and  the  picturesque  cos- 
tume of  a  peasant-girl,  who,  with  her  large  eyes  wide  open, 
gazes  placidly,  from  a  distance,  on  the  crest  of  smoke  hovering 
over  the  passing  train. 

The  costume  of  these  peasant-girls  is,  however,  that  which 
especially  attracts  attention  (Fig.  IGl).  The  head-dress  is 
shaped  like  a  Persian  cap,  tied  by  ribbons  under  the  chin ;  they 
wear  a  short  cloth  cape,  trimmed  with  colored  embroidery  or 
metal  ornaments  of  various  forms,  sewed  upon  it.     The  sleeves 

1  M.  Marmier  perhaps  goes  too  far  when  he  asserts  that  we  are  thoroughly 
acquainted  with  England  and  Germany. 


24 


DENMARK. 


are  narrow  and  short;  the  arm  is  left  bare  as  far  as  the 
elbow  in  summer,  but  in  winter  it  is  covered  with  long  and 
thick  leather  gloves ;  bracelets  of  metal  or  black  velvet  sur- 
round the  wrist;  the  petticoat  is  made  of  thick  brown  or 
deep  red  stuff;  and  the  apron,  made  of  silk  or  woollen  mate- 
rial, is  either  red,  blue,  or  green.     The  colors  are  rather  gaudy. 


Fig.  161.  —  A  Peasant-Girl,  Jutland. 


but  the  pale  light  of  the  North  harmonizes  and  softens,  in- 
stead of  exaggerating  them,  as  under  the  brilliant  sunshine 
of  the  South. 

On  the  right  of  the  road  appears  the  extremity  of  a  harbor, 
with  green  transparent  waters ;  this  is  Fredericia,  where  we  are 
to  embark  in  order  to  cross  the  Little  Belt. 

This  passage  is  effected   by  means   of  a   ferry-boat,  which 


THE    LITTLE    BELT, 


325 


conveys  the  train  —  a  method  of  transport  common  enough  in 
America,  but  still  rare  in  Europe.^ 

The  Little  Belt  is  not  IJ  mile  wide;  yet  this  short  passage 
is  sometimes  difficult,  and  even  dangerous,  during  the  preva- 
lence of  certain  winds,  on  account  of  the  currents,  shallows,  and 
reefs  which  obstruct  the  strait ;  so  that  large  vessels  avoid  this 


Fig.  162.  —  Plan  of  the  Approaches  of  a  Ferry  on  the  Little  Belt. 


1.  Eailway  ferry-boat. 

2.  Movable  pontoon. 

3.  Rails  for  leaving  the  pontoon. 


4.  Rails  for  approach. 

5.  Pier. 


passage,  which  is  almost  always  effected  by  means  of  coasting- 
vessels  and  fishing-boats. 

The  landing  and  embarking  of  luggage  formerly  caused  great 
waste  of  time,  for  so  short  a  passage,  and  involved  tedious  and 
fatiguing  labor ;  so  that  a  considerable  improvement  was  intro- 
duced by  the  Danish  railway  company,  when  they  conveyed  the 

1  We  think  that  there  is  no  railway  ferry-boat  in  Europe,  except  on  the  Lake 
of  Constance  and  at  the  Little  Belt.  It  has  been  lately  proposed  to  start  one 
between  Calais  and  Dover,  on  the  system  of  Dupuy  de  Lome. 


126  DENMARK 


carriages  directly  to  the  ferry-boat,  which  carries  them  to  the 
opposite  coast,  where  they  are  again  placed  on  the  rails,  —  a 
result  which  is  obtained  by  a  very  simple  contrivance. 

The  railway,  which  follows  a  direction  almost  at  right  angles 
to  the  sea,  passes  obliquely  as  it  approaches  the  shore,  so  as  to 
become  parallel  to  it ;  then,  advancing  or  backing,  according  to 
the  direction  in  which  the  train  arrives,  it  reaches  the  pier  ter- 
minated by  a  movable  pontoon,  at  the  extremity  of  which  the 
ferry  is  moored. 

The  Baltic,  like  the  Mediterranean,  is  not  subject  to  tides; 
the  level  of  the  pier  and  that  of  the  deck  of  the  vessel  are,  there- 
fore, almost  always  the  same.  The  difficulties  which  would  arise 
from  the  rise  and  fall  of  the  tides  might  easily  be  avoided  by 
bringing  the  ferry-boat  into  an  enclosed  basin,  in  which  the 
level  of  the  water  could  without  difficulty  be  regulated,  so  as 
to  coincide,  at  first  with  that  of  the  movable  pontoon,  and  after- 
wards with  that  of  the  sea.  When  the  two  rails  —  that  of  the 
ferry,  and  that  of  the  pontoon  —  are  placed  exactly  in  a  coitc- 
sponding  direction,  the  carriages  are  shunted  in  by  an  engine, 
which  does  not  enter  the  boat,  but  remains  outside.  The  car- 
riages thus  placed  on  board,  generally  two  or  three  in  number, 
are  sent  forward  in  succession,  one  at  a  time,  so  as  to  allow  the 
level  of  the  movable  pontoon  to  be  adjusted  according  as  the 
boat  sinks  more  deeply  after  each  fresh  load.  "When  once  on 
board,  the  carriages,  which  are  firmly  secured,  are  left  uncovered 
on  the  deck  of  the  ferry-boat ;  the  plan  adopted  in  America,  on 
the  contrary,  is  to  convey  them  in  the  covered  part  of  the  vessel. 

These  carriages  are  usually  only  goods-trucks  or  luggage- 
wagons.  Those  allotted  to  travellers  are  forwarded  only  when 
the  sea  is  sufficiently  calm ;  but  in  all  cases  passengers  are  per- 
mitted, when  once  on  board,  to  leave  the  carriages  and  re-enter 
them  as  they  please,  and  have  every  facility  afforded  them  for 
walking  on  the  deck,  or  remaining  in  the  cabin  during  the 
passage.  As  the  rails  occupy  the  centre  of  the  ferry-boat,  the 
engine  cannot  be  fixed  in  its  usual  place,  and  it  has  been  found 


THE    LITTLE    BELT. 


327 


necessary  in  its  construction  to  have  recourse  to  a  system  of 
horizontal  cylinders,  arranged  in  such  a  peculiar  manner  that 
we  cannot  intelligibly  give  a  description  of  them. 

This  system  of  making  the  passage  by  sea,  without  unloading 
and  reloading  the  carriages,  offers  great  advantages;  but  it  is 
often  impracticable  in  rough  weather,  the  necessary  manoeuvres, 
both  at  the  departure  and  arrival,  being  then  very  difficult.  On 
the  other  hand,  in  spite  of  the  opinion  given  by  a  man  of  un- 


^ — ^ — ^ — ^   ©     I0Z5I0 


^ 


I  '  ^  'loM'J 

Fig.  163.  —  Section  of  the  Movable  Pontoon. 

questionable  ability,  we  consider  that  a  voyage  of  any  length 
would  be  very  dangerous  in  a  vessel  too  heavily  laden  on  the 
deck.  Fig.  162  shows  the  plan  of  the  approach  to  the  station, 
and  to  the  landin.ir-quay  on  the  shore ;  Fig.  163,  the  movable 
pontoon  or  drawbridge,  forming  a  connection  between  the  pier 
and  the  ferry-boat. 

Our  passage  was  rapid,  and  without  any  inconvenience.   When 
the  ferry  reached  the  other  side,  a  similar  mano-uvre,  in  the 


328  DENMARK. 


opposite  direction  to  that  adopted  at  starting,  brought  the  car- 
riages to  the  pier,  and  they  were  placed  on  the  rails  which  led 
to  their  destination. 

At  the  moment  that  we  were  taking  our  places  in  the  train 
we  saw  some  one  advancing  toward  us  with  a  smile,  and  with 
extended  hand.  We  recognized  in  him  a  former  travelling  com- 
panion, with  whom  we  had  made  acquaintance  as  we  were  going 
from  Rome  to  Yiterbo,  shut  up  in  a  pontifical  mail-coach  with 
a  yellow  body,  and  escorted  by  two  of  those  magnificent  cara- 
bineers, with  a  terrible  and  martial  air,  whose  presence  reas- 
sured the  traveller  when  he  thought  of  the  consequences  of 
some  unfortunate  encounter  which  might  befall  him ;  but  who, 
by  their  lofty  plumes,  served  to  inform  the  brigands,  if  there 
were  any,  of  the  importance  and  quality  of  those  who  were  on 
the  road. 

We  renewed  our  acquaintance  while  the  train  was  preparing 
to  start.  Several  years  had  passed  since  our  last  meeting.  We 
had  left  Paris  after  a  long  evening  sj)ent  together,  while  he  re- 
lated, and  we  listened  to,  the  many  changes  of  fortune  which 
had  occurred  during  the  struggle  between  Denmark  and  Prussia 
in  1864  AVe  now  met  again  in  the  island  of  Funen  in  1872  ; 
but  we,  alas !  had  in  our  turn  to  relate  the  disasters  of  1870. 

Our  friend  was  a  Norwegian,  a  native  of  that  land  which  pro- 
fesses the  greatest  admiration  of  France,  and  the  warmest  sym- 
pathy for  it. 

"  Whence  do  you  come  ? "  we  immediately  inquired.  "  From 
the  South."  "  You  are  then  on  your  return  from  Italy  ? "  "0 
no  :  from  Jutland."  ''  Do  you  call  that  the  South  ? "  "  Cer- 
tainly, when  you  live  in  Christiana."  "Yes,  of  course.  And 
where  are  you  going?  To  the  North?"  "Yes;  to  Copenha- 
gen." "  Do  you  call  that  the  North  ? "  "  Certainly,  when  you 
come  from  Paris."  "  Ah !  well,"  he  replied  with  a  laugh ;  "  it 
is  all  rio-ht  when  we  understand  each  other.  Well,"  said  he, 
"instead  of  reaching  Copenhagen  this  evening,  you  will  have 
to  delay  for  a  few  days.    You  would  not  care  to  stop  at  Odensee, 


FUNEN.  329 


where  even  the  cathedral  has  but  little  to  interest  an  architect. 
I  will  take  you  with  me  to  a  farm  near  Nyborg,  which  belongs 
to  me.  It  is  now  occupied  by  a  friend,  a  fellow-countryman, 
who  has  just  completed  and  furnished  it  in  such  a  manner  as 
would  astonish  a  Frenchman.  You  will  there  have  a  curious 
glimpse  of  our  Scandinavian  customs,  and  an  interesting  speci- 
men of  those  wooden  structures  which  you  Europeans,  as  they 
say  at  Christiana,  are  too  much  inclined  to  consider  huts  of 
savages  built  of  trunks  of  trees." 

There  was  but  one  reply  possible,  —  to  thank  our  friend  and 
accept  his  invitation. 

Shortly  afterwards  the  train  stopped.  AVe  were  at  Xyborg, 
on  the  shores  of  the  Great  Belt.  Instead  of  going  on  board  the 
vessel  which  crosses  the  strait,  we  took  our  places  in  one  of  the 
large  cars  of  the  country,  drawn  by  three  horses  abreast,  which 
started  with  us  at  fuU  trot  along  the  coast  road. 

This  was  the  first  time  that  we  had  seen  a  real  Northern  land- 
scape. The  green-tinted  sea  was  gently  rippling  on  the  sandy 
shore ;  extensive  and  unvarying  plains  were  stretched  before  us, 
surrounded  by  woods  of  beech  and  birch.  Here  and  there  cul- 
tivated fields  relieved  the  pale  verdure  of  the  meadows  or  the 
dark  trenches  of  the  bogs.  From  time  to  time  were  to  be  seen 
a  park,  with  its  lawns  and  well-kept  flower-beds,  an  elegant 
house  half  hidden  behind  a  grove  of  trees ;  then  farms  and  agri- 
cultural buildings  surrounded  by  fields  of  thin  and  short-stalked 
corn ;  an  orchard  of  fruit-trees ;  and  herds  of  cattle  returning 
from  the  pasture.  We  passed,  on  the  sea-shore,  a  lively  fishing 
village,  full  of  small  houses  with  roofs  nearly  flat ;  the  bricks  as 
well  as  the  w^oodwork  were  painted  with  gaudy  colors,  the  win- 
dows glittered  in  the  sun,  and  on  the  ridge  of  each  roof  was  a 
carving  rudely  representing  the  prow  of  a  vessel.  Through  the 
half-open  doors  you  could  see  neat  and  clean  rooms.  The  fish- 
ing-nets were  spread  on  the  shore  to  dry ;  the  boats  were  drawn 
up ;  the  women  and  children  looked  at  us  with  curious  eyes,  and 
the  men  raised  their  w^oollen  caps  to  salute  us.     They  are  robust 


)30  DENMARK 


and  vigorous,  and  look  quiet  and  good-natured.  These  excellent 
people,  who  enjoy  such  a  calm  and  orderly  existence,  who  live 
honestly  on  the  produce  of  their  fishing,  and  practise  all  the 
virtues  of  domestic  life,  are  nevertheless  descended  from  those 
bold  pirates  whose  terrible  exploits  were- the  terror  of  the  seas; 
who,  in  the  ninth  century,  sailed  up  the  Seine  as  far  as  Paris, 
and,  in  the  twelfth,  seized  upon  the  Crown  of  England.  These 
men,  whose  honesty  and  loyalty  remind  us  of  the  Golden  Age, 
seem  to  have  no  idea  that  their  ancestors  were  such  audacious 
corsairs. 

We  have  now  left  the  coast,  the  road  turns  inland ;  we  trav- 
erse a  forest,  with  solitude  all  around  us.  An  old  woman  passes, 
bending  under  an  enormous  bundle  of  grass  mixed  with  flowers, 
on  which  a  small  lean  cow  feeds,  as  she  walks  behind  her. 

On  the  doorstep  of  a  cottage  are  three  children,  eating,  with  a 
good  appetite,  some  coarse  black  bread.  Nothing  is  heard  among 
the  large  trees  but  the  footsteps  of  the  horses,  and  the  harsh  and 
hoarse  shouts  of  the  driver;  we  ourselves  are  silent.  All  is 
quiet  and  tranquil ;  a  sweet  melancholy  and  an  indefinable  feel- 
ing of  sadness  pervade  both  man  and  nature.  The  light  is  soft- 
ened, as  if  it  passed  through  a  screen  of  gauze ;  the  effects  of 
light  and  shade  are  toned  down ;  there  is  nothing  to  arrest  the 
eye,  nothing  to  attract  or  detain  it.  The  silence  is  deep  and  pro- 
found ;  no  cries  are  to  be  heard,  no  songs,  onl;j  a  slight  twitter- 
in£f  of  birds  hidden  in  the  foliao-e,  the  lowing:  of  an  ox,  or  the 
noise  of  a  cart  whose  wheels  grate  on  their  axle.  Then,  all  at 
once,  the  prospect  widens,  our  team  starts  off  more  rapidly,  the 
conductor  cracks  his  whip  loudly,  and,  just  as  the  sun  is  about 
to  disappear  beneath  the  horizon,  we  see  a  group  of  habitations 
regularly  arranged.  The  roofs  are  red,  the  last  rays  of  the  set- 
ting sun  glitter  on  walls  of  varnished  pine-wood ;  a  bell  rings  to 
announce  our  arrival,  the  carriage  passes  through  the  large  gate- 
way, turns  into  the  courtyard,  and  stops  before  a  house,  under 
the  veranda  of  which  our  hosts  are  waiting  to  welcome  us. 

AVe  ascend  a  flight  of  steps  sheltered  by  a  small  wooden 


FUNEN.  331 


porch ;  and,  conducted  by  the  master  of  the  house,  pass  through 
the  veranda,  which  serves  as  a  hall,  and  enter  a  room  which  is 
at  the  same  time  a  drawing-room,  a  dining-room,  and  a  recep- 
tion-room. The  floor  is  strewn  with  green  twigs  covered  with 
red,  blue,  and  yellow  flowers,  which  form  a  rich  carpet  of  brill- 
iant colors.  The  sideboard,  at  the  end  of  the  room,  is  sur- 
rounded by  garlands  of  flowers,  and  on  the  walls  are  festoons  of 
foliage ;  the  eye  is  charmed  with  this  decoration,  for  which  they 
are  indebted  to  nature  alone.  Everything  is  pervaded  by  a 
sweet  smell  of  resin  and  wild  plants.  When  we  have  been  in- 
troduced, we  are  conducted  to  our  chamber.  We  occupy  the 
spare  room,  a  very  large  apartment  on  the  first  floor,  with  a  wide 
bed,  placed  high  above  the  ground.  The  furniture  is  of  pine- 
wood  ;  there  are  windows  on  each  side,  some  opening  on  a  gal- 
lery over  the  veranda  below,  the  others  on  a  covered  balcony. 
But  we  have  no  time  to  examine  everything ;  we  must  go  down 
quickly,  for  it  is  the  dinner  hour,  and  we  are  soon  seated  at  the 
family  table. 

The  dinner,  for  we  must  speak  of  it,  commenced  with  some 
siveet  soup,  a  mixture  composed  of  small  pieces  of  meat  swim- 
ming in  a  broth,  in  which  were  prunes,  slices  of  orange-peel, 
pieces  of  licorice,  dried  currants,  barley,  pejiper,  and  salt.  For- 
tunately, to  aid  in  the  digestion  of  this  alarming  dish,  they  gave 
us  some  excellent  beer,  served  in  small  glasses  placed  before 
each  guest,  and  some  rye-brandy,  which  removes  from  the  palate 
the  flavor  of  everything  which  it  may  have  previously  absorbed. 
Then  came  steaks  of  sturgeon,  rog-brod  (rye-bread),  slices  of  black 
bread  spread  with  butter  and  mustard,  rolled  round  ham  and 
smoked  beef,  and  rod-grod,  a  kind  of  pudding ;  very  solid  food, 
but  at  the  same  time  very  acceptable. 

After  dinner,  we  had,  with  our  friend  and  our  entertainer,  a 
long  conversation  full  of  recollections  of  the  past  and  anecdotes, 
till  the  evening  drew  to  a  close.  We  retired  to  our  apartments ; 
the  night  was  clear  and  fresh,  and  the  breeze  brought  vague  inti- 
mations of  the  pine-forests,  the  sweet  perfume  of  flowers,  and  the 


DENMARK. 


distant  murmur  of  the  sea  on  the  sandy  shore ;  while  through 
the  half- open  windows  came  the  somewhat  harsh  accents  of  a 
woman's  voice,  who  in  the  courtyard,  in  the  midst  of  a  group  of 
men-servants,  was  singing  an  old  Eunic  chant. 

On  the  following  day  they  showed  us,  in  detail,  the  farm  and 
its  dependencies.  Our  host  was  a  native  of  Norway ;  peculiar 
circumstances  had  induced  him  to  quit  his  native  country ;  so 
he  came  to  settle  in  a  corner  of  the  island  of  Funen  (Fionia) 
with  his  wife  and  children,  —  two  pretty  little  fair  girls  with  gray 
eyes,  who  never  ceased  to  gaze  at  us,  seeking  to  divine  the  mean- 
ing of  our  words  from  our  looks  and  gestures.  This  family  had 
brouoht  with  them  all  the  habits  and  customs  of  their  native 
land,  and  their  dwelling  was,  in  many  respects,  the  reproduc- 
tion of  old  remembrances  which  they  loved  to  retain  and  per- 
petuate. 

AVe  first  left  the  enclosure  (called  in  Norwegian  the  gaarcl), 
which  contains  the  courts  and  buildings,  and  we  looked  about 
us.  The  whole  is  comprised  in  a  large  rectangular  space  (Fig. 
164),  covered  with  buildings  of  various  heights  and  dimensions, 
all  fronting  in  the  same  direction,  having  a  narrow  gable  at  the 
north  and  south  ends.  Each  of  these  buildings,  being  allotted 
to  a  special  purpose,  is  separated  from  the  next  by  a  considerable 
space,  a  kind  of  wide  road  around  each  of  them.  The  only  ma- 
terial employed  in  their  construction  is  wood,  with  the  exception 
of  the  tiled  roofs.  In  front  of  the  entrance  is  the  first  building, 
higher  (Fig.  166)  and  more  ornamental  than  the  rest ;  this  is  the 
dwelling-house  of  the  farmer.  On  the  ground-floor  is  a  porch, 
which,  as  we  have  already  mentioned,  shelters  the  outer  flight 
of  steps,  and  a  large  veranda  serving  as  a  vestibule,  on  which 
all  the  rooms  open.  This  veranda  is  closed  during  the  winter 
by  glazed  sashes,  and  serves  for  the  reception  of  persons  who  are 
not  expected  to  enter  the  private  apartments.  It  opens  into  the 
hall,  a  large  family  room,  where  they  usually  live,  and  in  which 
they  take  their  meals.  By  the  side  of  this  are  the  kitchen,  the 
closets,  and  the  staircase  leading  to  the  first  floor ;  on  which  are 


F  U  N  E  N 


a  gallery  over  the  lower  veranda,  two  large  rooms,  and  one 
smaller  one.  On  the  side  opposite  to  the  veranda,  and  facing 
the  farm  buildings,  is  a  balcony  supported  on  cantalivers.  This 
balcony  is  enclosed  with  sash  windows,  and  together  with  the 
lower  gallery  is  a  part  of  the  house  used  as  a  play-room  for  the 


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tl  I  I  I  1 1 1 1 r 

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Fig.  164.  —  General  plan  of  a  Farm  in  the  Island  of  Funen. 


1.  Master's  residence. 

2.  House  for  servants. 

3.  Barns  and  coach-houses. 

4.  Cattle-house  and  stabling. 

5.  Wash-house  and  bake-house. 


6.  Workshops. 

7.  Dairy  and  sheds. 

8.  Fowl-house,  pigsties,  water-closet. 

9.  Slaughter-house. 
10.  Kitchen-garden. 


children,  and  as  a  place  where  the  family  can  walk  when,  being 
detained  at  home  by  cold  and  snow  and  by  the  nights  of  eighteen 
or  tw^enty  hours  long,  they  cannot  leave  the  house.  This  bal- 
cony serves  also  as  an  observatory  for  the  farmer,  and  enables 


!34 


DENMARK 


liiin  to  see  every  part  of  the  various  buildings,  and  to  superin- 
tend his  laborers. 

The  buildings  are,  as  we  have  said,  entirely  of  timber,  and  are 
composed  of  wooden  bays,  very  different  from  the  framework 
concealed  under  a  coating  of  cement,  which  is  usual  among  our- 
selves. They  are  constructed  by  means  of  slight  uprights,  of  7 
inches  by  7f  in  scantling,  connected  by  horizontal  cross-pieces. 


C?^ 


Fig.  165.  —  General  View  of  a  Farm. 


connected  by  plough  and  tongue  joints,  and  rabbeted  into  jambs. 
This  framework  is  covered  on  the  outside  with  deal  shingles. 
The  inner  cross-pieces  are  from  2  to  2|  inches  in  thickness ;  the 
wainscoting  is  nearly  1^  inch  thick ;  the  shingles  2  inches  wide, 
nearly  5  inches  long,  and  about  ^  inch  thick.  The  end  of  these 
shingles  is  flush  with  the  projection  of  the  vertical  side- posts. 
The  woodwork  of  the  roof  is  composed  of  rafters  with  trusses ; 


FUNEN. 


335 


that  is  to  say,  that  each  rafter  forms  in  itself  a  principal.     The 
whole  structure,  in  fact,  is  a  perfect  casing  of  pine-wood,^ 


Fig.  166.  —  Exterior  of  Farm-house. 

The  interior  (Fig.  167)  of  this  dwelling-house  and  its  furniture 
are  of  the  simplest  kind,  and  show  no  striving  after  luxury  or 

1  This  manner  of  working  in  pine-wood  is  not  the  only  one  employed  in  Den- 
mark and  Sweden.  See  *' Encyclopedic  d' Architecture,"  1872;  and  **Comte- 
rendu  de  I'exposition  des  pays  du  nord  de  I'Europe."  Felix  Narjoux.  Lib. 
Morel,  13  Paie  Bonaparte. 


336 


DENMARK. 


mere  a]Dpearance,  but,  on  the  contrary,  the  love  of  home  and 
domestic  life. 

The  walls  are  covered  with  very  thick  felt,  fastened  to  the 


m 


-OMAJZKIF.WJCZ 


Fig.  167.  —  View  of  Interior. 


partitions  by  lattice-work  made  of  crossed  laths ;  and  small  tri- 
angular pieces  of  wood,  attached  to  this,  form  combinations  both 
curious  and  ingenious.  In  the  principal  room  the  portion  of 
the  stuff  which  is  shown  is  decorated  with  a  flower  or  a  ireomet- 


FUNEN.  337 


rical  figure.  These  ornaments,  which  are  colored,  relie\'e  the 
surface,  which  otherwise  would  appear  cold  and  too  uniform. 

The  cornice  is  ornamented  with  a  carving  in  pine-wood,  the 
ground  in  which  has  been  painted  of  a  deep  color,  on  which  the 
ornamental  part  stands  out  uncolored.  The  ceiling  is  formed  of 
bare  joists  united  by  cross-beams,  thus  forming  compartments, 
in  which  are  fixed  centre-pieces  of  carved  varnished  wood,  which 
relieve  the  blue  or  red  of  the  groundwork. 

The  furniture  also  is  made  of  deal.  The  seats,  we  must  con- 
fess, are  not  very  comfortable ;  but  the  beds  are  large,  with  thick 
hangings,  and  placed  at  some  considerable  height  above  the  floor. 
In  the  dining-room  were  two  large  sidel)oards,  surrounded  by 
garlands  of  flowers,  for  which  they  substitute,  during  the  winter, 
paper  wreaths  of  various  colors.  The  windows  are  double,  the 
panes  of  glass  brilliant,  with  no  curtain  to  obstruct  the  light; 
blinds  are  not  in  use.  Large  gilded  and  painted  earthenware 
stoves  diffuse  everywhere  a  pleasant  and  equal  warmth,  but  de- 
prive those  who  sit  near  them  of  the  sight  of  the  bright  flame 
which  sparkles  and  crackles  in  the  chimney-corners  of  our 
country-houses. 

The  sitting-room  is  employed  for  many  purposes,  not  only  for 
the  ordinary  use  of  the  family,  but  for  festival  occasions,  and 
the  feasts  which  are  given  after  hunting  and  fishing  excursions. 
Northern  manners,  which  are  less  polished  than  ours,  have  pre- 
served certain  rude  traditions  which  have  disappeared  among 
ourselves;  and  it  is  not  uncommon,  even  now,  to  see  these 
festivals  degenerate  into  orojies.  In  former  davs  they  almost 
always  ended  in  a  fight. 

Buildings  of  this  kind  are  more  especially  adapted  to  the 
demands  of  a  climate  which  requires,  above  all,  that  a  dweUing- 
house  should  be  dry  and  warm  in  winter;  but  they  have  this 
inconvenience,  that  they  are  an  easy  prey  to  fire.  In  order  to 
guard,  as  far  as  possible,  against  this  danger,  each  building  is 
destined  to  a  different  purpose,  and  is  separated  from  the  rest 
by  a  large  space  serving  as  a  courtyard  and  a  passage  (Fig.  165). 


DENMARK. 


A  relic  of  ancient  Xorthern  traditions  does  not  permit  servants 
to  sleep  under  the  same  roof  as  the  master ;  they  have  a  sep- 
arate house,  built  opposite  to  that  intended  for  the  head  of  the 
family.  This  building  includes,  on  the  ground-floor,  a  common 
sitting-room,  a  kitchen,  and  a  room  serving  as  an  ofdce ;  on  the 
upper  story  are  bedrooms. 

To  the  right  of  the  servants'  house  are  the  stables,  in  which 
there  are,  on  the  ground-floor,  stables  for  the  horses,  and  stalls 
for  horned  cattle.  The  first  floor,  which  is  approached  by  an 
inclined  plane,  is  reserved  for  goats  and  sheep.  Opposite  to 
this,  and  at  the  other  side  of  the  enclosure,  is  the  barn,  con- 
taining the  threshing-floor,  and,  above  this,  the  gTanary.  In 
front,  and  at  a  considerable  distance,  for  fear  of  fire,  are  the 
wash-house  and  the  bakery ;  and,  opposite  to  these,  workshops 
for  the  construction  and  repair  of  all  tools,  implements,  and 
furniture  necessary  for  the  farm  and  the  household.  Denmark, 
an  essentially  agricultural  country,  is  deficient  in  manufacturing 
establishments,  and,  therefore,  every  one  is  obliged,  in  certain 
cases,  to  construct  such  implements  as  he  may  require.  Some 
of  the  peasants  are  skilful  enough  to  make  wooden  clocks  quite 
sufficient  for  their  purpose.  To  complete  this  assemblage  of 
buildings,  of  which  our  figure  will  give  some  idea,  there  rise, 
on  each  side  of  the  court,  sheds  and  other  shelters,  and  at  the 
extremity  is  a  large  kitchen-garden. 

All  these  buildings  are  covered  with  tiles,  and  the  ridge  of 
the  roof  of  each  is  decorated  with  one  of  those  carved  beams 
which  slightly  resemble  the  prow  of  a  ship,  —  the  last  recollec- 
tion of  the  existence  of  those  maritime  populations  who  had 
no  other  dwelling  than  the  deck  of  the  vessel  in  which  they 
passed  their  lives. 

The  agricultural  produce  consists  of  wheat,  black  corn,  and 
food  for  cattle,  —  a  crop  which  is  often  compromised  by  sudden 
heat  or  late  frosts.  Field-work  is  completed  in  a  shorter  space 
of  time  than  in  more  soutliernly  countries.  Sowing  and  reap- 
ing must  be  begun  and  finished  within  a  few  months.     The 


FUNEN.  339 


more  rapid  cultivation  in  this  climate  is  productive  of  less 
favorable  results.  Spring  and  autumn  have  scarcely  any  exist- 
ence, and  the  heats  of  summer  succeed  almost  immediately  to 
the  long  and  cold  nights  of  winter.  The  return  of  the  sun.  the 
time  when  it  comes  again  to  render  the  earth  fruitful,  are  days 
of  joy,  welcomed  and  celebrated  in  the  country  by  festivals  and 
public  rejoicings,  in  which  all,  young  and  old,  rich  and  poor, 
take  part. 

On  May  1,  when  the  cold  north- wind  has  ceased  to  blow, 
when  the  snow  melts  under  the  first  rays  of  the  sun,  and  when 
the  thick  mists,  which  have  enveloped  the  earth  for  long  months, 
have  at  last  disa23peared,  the  peasants  dress  themselves  in  their 
best  attire ;  the  boys  tie  ribbons  of  bright  color  round  their  hats  ; 
the  girls  adorn  the  body  of  their  light  gowns  with  spring  flow- 
ers ;  and  then  in  long  files,  preceded  by  bands  of  music,  they 
go,  on  foot  or  in  carts,  towards  the  place  chosen  by  each  group 
of  villages  for  the  celebration  of  the  return  of  the  spring.  The 
day  is  passed  in  amusements  of  every  kind,  especially  dances, 
and  is  ended  by  an  immense  feast,  to  which  every  one  con- 
tributes his  share,  and  which  is  prepared  by  those  whom  more 
advanced  age  detains  from  more  active  enjoyments.  Then,  be- 
fore they  leave,  all  who  are  present  choose  among  themselves 
a  king  and  queen,  whom  they  crown  with  flowers,  and  who, 
during  the  whole  year,  bear  the  title  of  king  and  queen  of  the 
spring,  and  enjoy  certain  privileges,  of  which  the  final  result  is 
very  frequently  a  happy  union. 

But  the  time  of  this  festival  has  long  gone  by ;  we  are  on  the 
eve,  not  of  spring,  but  of  winter.  We  are  only  in  the  month 
of  September,  and  yet  already  the  nights  are  cold,  a  slight  hoar- 
frost covers  the  fields  and  the  sea  every  morning,  so  we  must 
hasten  on,  and  not  linger  on  our  journey.  We  therefore  return 
by  the  way  that  we  came,  and,  provided  with  warm  letters  of 
recommendation  to  friends  at  Copenhagen,  we  embark  on  the 
"  Great  Belt,"  to  resume  the  journey  so  pleasantly  interrupted ; 
our  friend  accompanied  us,  and,  as  we  went  along,  we  spoke 
of  Denmark  and  her  population. 


140  D  E  X  M  A  R  K . 


Notwithstanding  the  disasters  which  have  befallen  this  coun- 
try, it  is  evident  that  it  still  enjoys  a  certain  amount  of  pros- 
perity. Agriculture  prospers;  the  Dane  is  more  fit  for  field 
labor  than  for  commercial  pursuits.  Honest,  laborious,  intel- 
ligent, and  very  much  attached  to  the  country,  he  is  prudent, 
and  but  rarely  risks  in  any  enterprise  the  money  which  he  finds 
it  so  difficult  to  earn ;  so  the  industrial  pursuits  of  the  country 
make  but  little  progress.  Large  fortunes  are  as  rare  as  extreme 
misery,  and  public  education  is  developed  more  and  more  every 
day.  The  Dane,  thick-set,  robust,  with  projecting  cheek-bones 
and  square  chin,  the  signs  of  force  and  resolution,  does  not  pos- 
sess the  lively,  supple,  and  graceful  characteristics  which  con- 
stitute the  great  charm  of  the  Latin  races.  They  atone  for  this 
by  their  energy  and  perseverance ;  and  their  bold  mariners  have 
made  the  national  flag  known  in  the  most  distant  seas,  as  far 
as  the  extremity  of  China  and  Japan. 

France  has  no  influence  in  this  country,  and  yet  its  name 
excites  the  warmest  sympathy ;  we  frequently  found  this  as  we 
proceeded  on  our  journey.  Formerly,  Hamburg  had  a  prepon- 
derating prestige  in  the  whole  of  Scandinavia  and  Denmark  ;  but 
since  the  annexation  to  Germany,  the  German  and  Scandinavian 
races  grow  every  day  more  alienated,  and  English  influence  pre- 
vails in  their  stead. 

A  great  project,  which  would  secure  for  Denmark  the  trans- 
port of  all  the  merchandise  brought  from  Sweden  into  Uuroj^e, 
and  vice  versa,  is  at  this  moment  seriously  contemplated ;  it  is 
to  unite  Copenhagen  with  Yordingborg  by  a  railway,  and  then 
to  reach,  by  means  of  fixed  bridges,  the  islands  of  Falster  and 
Laaland,  a  packet-boat  from  which  would  cross  the  strait  of 
Fehmern  to  the  island  of  that  name,  which  would  be  connected 
directly  with  the  mainland  by  a  new  series  of  fixed  bridges. 
The  execution  of  these  works  would  certainly  change  the  face 
of  the  country,  and  modify  its  tendencies,  by  substituting  for 
English  influence  that  of  the  southern  European  nations,  with 
which  they  would  be  placed  in  easy  and  rapid  communication. 


THE    ISLAND    OF    ZEALAND.  341 

^  The  "Great  Belt"  was  not  favorable  to  us;  the  passage, 
always  difficult  on  account  of  the  shallows,  becomes  very  un- 
pleasant when  the  wind  blows  directly  through  this  narrow 
channel,  so  that  we  hailed  with  delight  the  green  coast-line 
of  the  meadows  in  the  island  of  Zealand. 

As  we  approach  the  shore,  we  are  struck  everywhere  with  the 
adventurous  life  of  the  mariner,  which  develops  the  strength  of 
these  brave  N'orthern  races.  On  the  sea  were  to  be  seen  numer- 
ous barks  struggling  against  the  waves ;  not  large  vessels,  for 
their  greater  draught  of  water  obliges  them  to  pass  through  the 
Sound;  but  a  number  of  small  coasting-vessels  coming  from 
the  Cattecrat,  and  thus  establishins^  a  communication  between 
the  ports  of  the  Baltic.  There  are  many  villages  on  the  shore, 
near  to  each  other;  we  could  distinguish  the  fishermen's  cot- 
tages, and  their  nets  drying  on  tlie  strand,  the  boats  drawn  up 
and  placed  under  shelter  from  the  storms  of  the  night;  and, 
beyond,  rich  enclosures  of  fruit-trees,  parks,  and  country-houses, 
the  summer  villas  of  the  nobility  or  the  rich  merchants  of  the 
town. 

When  once  seated  in  the  railway-carriage,  we  proceed  rap- 
idly ;  the  country  has  always  the  same  melancholy  and  miser- 
able appearance.  There  is  nothing  bright  or  luxuriant  in  the 
landscape ;  the  land  is  flat,  the  vegetation  fresh  and  humid,  the 
horizon  shut  in  by  forests  of  oak  and  beech  trees ;  everything 
around  looks  cold  and  stern,  and  inspires  sadness  rather  than  ennui. 

We  soon  perceive,  on  the  left,  the  deep  indentation  of  a  fjord, 
at  the  extremity  of  which  is  Eoeskilde,  formerly  a  royal  resi- 
dence, and  the  episcopal  town  of  Denmark,  until  the  intro- 
duction of  the  Lutheran  religion.  Eoeskilde,  which  contained 
twenty-six  churches  with  their  cloisters,  the  palace  of  the  kings, 
and  that  of  the  princes,  which  was  surrounded  with  the  splendor 
and  magnificence  of  a  court  that  swayed  the  sceptre  of  the  three 
Scandinavian  states,  retains  nothing  of  all  this  glory  except  the 
cathedral  of  Canute  the  Great,  the  silent  resting-place  of  the 
kinss  of  Denmark. 


342 


DENMARK 


This  cathedral,  the  most  beautiful  structure  of  the  kind  in 
Denmark,  was  founded  in  the  middle  of  the  twelfth  century; 
its  plan  is  long  and  narrow  (Fig.  168).  Its  side  aisles  are  sep- 
arated from  the  nave  by  a  number  of  arches  of  unequal  width ; 


:¥::.:r^.. 


K\ 


J::v|!:;:::::;v;^||:;;:J 

Fig.  168.  —  Ground-plan  of  the  Cathedral  at  Roeskilde. 


the  building  is  terminated  by  a  circular  apse ;  and,  by  an  ar- 
rangement very  frequently  adopted,  the  thrust  of  the  vault  of 
the  nave  is  counteracted  by  arches  placed  under  the  roofs  of 
the  side  aisles.     Like  all  the  edifices  of  this  period,  raised  in 


THE    ISLAND    OF    ZEALAND. 


343 


the  extreme  North,  the  cathedral  of  Eoeskilde  is  disfigured  by- 
additions  of  greater  or  less  importance,  which  have  altered 
its  original  form,  and  modified,  not  only  its  details,  but  its 
proportions.  The  large,  wide,  and  lofty  chancel,  and  the  tran- 
sept and  its  aisles,  with  galleries  which  lessen  the  apparent 
height,  give  some  idea  of  what  this  building  must  have  been 
at  the  time  of  its  splendor,  alas  1  how  long  ago ;  and,  to  crown 
all,  the  whole  of  the  internal  decorations  have  been  lately  cov- 


Fig.  169.  —  Geometrical  Elevation  of  the  Facade  of  the  Transept. 


ered  with  glaring  paintings  representing  flowers,  branches  of 
trees,  and  verdure,  which  have  completely  destroyed  the  grand 
and  noble  effect  of  the  building. 

The  facades  (Fig.  169),  built  of  granite  wrought  with  great 
care,  are  rather  primitive  in  style,  the  effect  of  which  is  not 
without  its  charm,  and  reminds  us  of  our  churches  in  Auvergne 
and  Limousin,  erected  at  the  same  period,  and  with  materials 
of  a  similar  kind. 

The  tombs  of  the  kings  are  numerous.     They  have  been  com- 


344  DENMARK. 


pared,  with  some  amount  of  exaggeration,  to  those  of  St.  Denis. 
One  of  them,  however,  attracts  attention ;  it  is  that  of  Christian 
IV.,  surmounted  by  a  statue  by  Thorwaldsen. 

The  surrounding  country  is  filled  with  tombs,  funeral  monu- 
ments, and  Eunic  stones,  and  abounds  with  souvenirs  of  mytho- 
logical history,  poetry,  and  the  paganism  of  the  Xorth,  of  which 
this  country  w^as  the  birthplace.  Altars,  on  w^hich  human  sac- 
rifices were  offered,  are  to  be  seen  at  Lethraborg.  The  legend 
of  Hrolf  and  his  twelve  giants  is  connected  with  Leira.  At 
Hleidra  was  the  sacred  wood  of  the  goddess  Hertha,  with  the 
lake,  into  the  waves  of  which  she  plunged  the  incautious  men 
who  had  surprised  and  gazed  upon  her  while  in  her  bath.  It 
was  over  this  land  that  she  drove  in  her  chariot  drawn  by  cows ; 
and  under  the  shadow  of  these  beech-trees  were  offered  those 
horrible  sacrifices  of  human  beings,  tied  to  each  other  before 
they  were  put  to  death.  But  if  the  monuments  which  recall 
these  recollections  possess  an  archaeological  interest,  they  have 
none  in  an  artistic  point  of  view ;  and  we  must  also  own,  in  all 
humility,  that  the  most  beautiful  Eunic  inscrijDtions  are  but  a 
dead  letter  to  us. 

Xevertheless,  as  it  is  not  possible  to  be  in  Denmark  without 
speaking  of  Odin  and  the  Eunes,  we  must  say  a  few  words 
about  them.  Odin  is  said  to  have  been  the  inventor  of  these 
Eunes.  As  they  were  cut  and  engraven  in  stones,  it  is  asserted 
that  their  name  was  derived  from  a  Gothic  word  having  the 
same  meaning,  or  from  another  word  Eona,  which  signifies 
secret,  —  an  explanation  derived  from  their  mysterious  charac- 
ter ;  but  as  the  Germans  pretend  to  have  discovered  everything, 
and  to  be  in  themselves  the  origin  of  all  things,  they  will  have 
it  that  the  word  Eune  comes  from  one  in  their  own  language, 
Eaunen,  which  signifies  a  murmur,  —  a  rather  German  allusion 
to  the  part  assigned  to  the  Eunes,  which,  thanks  to  the  expla- 
nations of  the  learned,  murmur  almost  whatever  they  wish. 

The  Eunic  alphabet  is  composed  of  sixteen  characters,  sup- 
posed to  be  of  Phanician  origin,  each  of  which  has  a  name  and 


THE    ISLAND    OF    ZEALAND.  345 

signification  peculiar  to  itself.  These  characters  are  grouped, 
intermixed,  and  interlaced;  they  are  read  either  from  left  to 
right,  or  from  right  to  left,  and  thus  give  rise  to  translations 
which  vary  among  every  nation,  and  according  to  the  taste  of 
every  individual. 

These  Eunes  were  not  only  graphic  signs,  but  they  had  a 
mysterious  power,  and  a  charm  to  which  the  initiated  had  re- 
course under  certain  circumstances.  They  attributed  to  them 
the  power  of  inspiring  love,  raising  the  dead,  curing  diseases, 
lulling  tempests,  extinguishing  fires,  etc. 

Eunic  chants  are  full  of  a  strange  and  mysterious  poetry, 
which  strikes  the  imagination  and  carries  it  away  to  the  realm 
of  dreams  and  improbability.  It  is  difficult  to  forget  these 
accents  when  they  have  been  heard,  even  for  once,  so  profound 
is  the  impression  made  by  these  mystical  words,  whose  meaning- 
is  unknown,  when  they  are  chanted  to  a  rhythmical  air  filled 
with  strange  power  and  harmony. 


346  DENMARK, 


COPENHAGEN. 

GENERAL  ASPECT. 

THE  terminus  is  a  wooden  building,  covered  with  a  roof  on 
the  plan  of  Philibert  Delorme,  and  which  cannot  be  com- 
j)ared  with  the  magnificent  halls  of  the  French  railways,  built 
of  iron,  and  covered  with  glass ;  but,  as  some  compensation,  the 
police  and  the  custom-house  soon  set  us  at  liberty,  and  we  found 
ourselves  outside,  in  a  large  avenue  planted  with  trees,  facing 
an  extensive  park,  and  the  Xon^bro  (the  Northern  bridge),  pass- 
ing over  which  we  entered  the  city. 

The  sunshine  was  delightful,  the  air  pleasantly  warm,  the  sky 
clear ;  and  throughout  the  day  we  walked  on  and  on,  gazing  on 
the  right  hand  and  the  left,  on  persons  and  things,  being  intent 
on  seeing  as  much  and  as  thoroughly  as  possible. 

When  we  had  passed  through  the  environs  of  the  city,  we 
walked  down  one  street,  traversed  the  square,  entered  a  second 
street,  and  found  ourselves  in  front  of  an  enormous  building. 
It  was  the  Christianborg  (the  palace  of  Christian,  the  royal 
palace),  which  resembles  a  fortress  or  a  state-prison.  Close  by 
there  was  a  canal  thronged  with  boats  laden  with  vegetables, 
fruits,  and  fish ;  and  then  came  a  labyrinth  of  small  streets,  and 
a  large  open  space,  the  Kongens  Nytorv,  an  irregular  square, 
bordered,  in  some  parts,  by  lofty  narrow  buildings,  with  fantastic 
gables  (Fig.  170).  At  the  extremity  was  a  palace;  at  the  side, 
the  Opera-House ;  at  the  other  end,  a  canal ;  and  in  the  middle, 
a  statue,  hidden  in  a  clump  of  rose-bushes.  At  the  corner  of 
one  street  we  read  :  "  Eestaurant  des  Dames  francaises."     There 


COPENHAGEN. 


;47 


was  a  great  crowd  of  persons  in  this  square ;  carriages,  horses, 
omnibuses,  crossed  in  every  direction ;  a  detachment  of  soldiers 
were  passing  with  their  drums  beating ;  the  men  look  strong,  but 
their  step  is  rather  heavy ;  their  equipment  and  uniform  resem- 
ble ours,  and  they  are  armed  with  rifles.     We  begin  to  sketch ; 


/ 


■^^fe 


Fig.  170.  —  The  Kongens-Nytorv,  at  Copenhagen. 


a  crowd  gathers  round,  an  officer  comes  to  us  from  the  neigh- 
boring guard-house.  We  do  not  understand  what  he  says,  but 
still,  full  of  deference  for  discipline,  and  thinking  that  he  came 
to  forbid  us  to  continue  our  sketch,  we  close  our  book  and  rise 
to  go  on  our  way ;  but  it  seems  that  this  was  not  what  he  wanted. 


548  DENMARK 


He  had  thought  that  we  were  German.  He  asked  what  we  had 
been  doing:  we  showed  him  our  sketch-book,  in  which  were 
some  remarks  in  French,  and  our  address  in  Paris.  The  officer 
reads :  Paris,  French :  the  bystanders  repeat,  French,  Paris  (it 
sounds  in  Danish  something  like  Frensh,  Parish).  The  expres- 
sion on  the  features  of  those  around  us  at  once  entirely  changes, 
and  they  look  on  us  with  kindness  and  sympathy,  two  soldiers 
are  sent  from  the  guard-house  to  clear  a  space  around  us,  and 
we  are  allowed  to  finish  our  drawing.  We  know  not  how  to 
express  our  thanks ;  but,  without  being  able  to  understand  each 
other,  Ave  exchange  the  most  friendly  words  and  cordial  com- 
pliments. 

In  the  Ostergade  (West  Street)  there  are  many  shops,  in  lofty 
houses  of  several  stories,  built  of  stone  or  brick.  Some,  of  an 
unusual  shape,  have  an  original  and  grotesque  appearance,  but 
the  greater  part  are  uninteresting,  and  of  an  ordinary  kind.  The 
footpaths  are  paved  with  red  Norwegian  granite,  which,  when 
recently  washed,  is  of  an  agreeable  color,  and  the  particles  of 
mica  glisten  in  the  sun.  By  the  side  of  the  jDath  is  a  wide  and 
deep  gutter,  covered  with  strong  deal  boards,  serving  both  to 
limit  the  roadway  and  to  act  as  a  drain.  People  pass  quietly, 
and  without  haste ;  they  do  not  press  on  each  other,  and  keep 
scrupulously  to  the  right  hand.  AVe  reach  the  Gothergade,  the 
Ptegent  Street  or  the  "  Rue  de  la  Paix  "  of  Copenhagen,  w^here 
there  are  beautiful,  large,  lofty,  well-built  liouses,  with  shops 
over  each  other;  that  is  to  say,  on  the  basement  and  ground- 
floor.  Those  below  the  level  of  the  ground,  to  which  the  ap- 
proach is  by  steps  made  in  the  area  which  separates  the  houses 
from  the  street,  are  used  as  taverns,  beer-shops,  restaurants,  and 
shops  for  eatables.  When  we  set  our  foot  on  the  threshold,  the 
step  gives  way,  the  visitor  feels  as  if  he  were  losing  his  equilib- 
rium, and  a  bell  tingles  at  the  farther  end  of  the  shop ;  this  is  a 
signal  to  announce  the  arrival  of  a  customer.  In  the  shops  on 
the  ground-floor,  which  might,  indeed,  be  as  well  called  the  first 
story,  are  sold  articles  manufactured  in  Paris,  London,  or  Vienna, 


COPENHAGEN.  349 


such  as  gold  ornaments,  jewelry,  and  stationery.  There  are 
also  shops  of  a  more  modest,  but  no  less  useful  kind,  such  as 
those  of  tailors,  shoemakers,  and  dealers  in  cigars.  The  goods 
are  not  displayed,  as  the  sill  of  the  window  is  nearly  on  a  level 
with  the  heads  of  passers-by.  There  are  no  splendid  shop-fronts ; 
large  panes  of  glass  merely  protect  the  wares,  not  from  ill-in- 
tentioned j)ersons  and  robbers,  for  these  are  unknown  in  Copen- 
hagen, but  against  wind  and  rain.  Tradesmen,  who  are  more 
distrustful,  leave  the  gas  alight  during  the  night,  so  that  it  is 
impossible  that  any  robbery  should  be  committed  without  being 
seen  from  the  public  street. 

We  see  many  persons  at  the  gate  of  a  large  garden,  the  Rosen- 
borg-have. We  enter ;  bands  of  music  are  playing  in  the  open 
air,  and  people  are  walking  about.  There  are  many  young  and 
pretty  women,  with  bright  complexions,  blue  or  gray  eyes,  and 
fair  hair ;  they  wear  white  or  light  dresses,  with  a  bright-colored 
band  round  the  waist.  Their  figure  is  slender,  their  hair  falls  in 
long  curls  over  their  shoulders,  and  is  only  confined  at  the  back 
of  the  neck  by  a  ribbon  of  the  same  color  as  the  waistband.  A 
kind  of  small  head-dress  with  feathers  is  placed  jauntily  on  the 
top  of  the  head ;  the  neck  is  left  bare,  and  under  the  transparent 
material  of  the  body  of  the  dress  there  is  a  glimpse  of  the  rich 
carnation  of  the  shoulders.  The  hands,  tightly  gloved,  carry  an 
immense  parasol,  and,  as  they  pass  by,  they  occasionally  draw 
round  them,  with  a  graceful  and  coquettish  air,  a  long  scarf, 
when  the  keen  breeze  from  the  North  raises  the  ringlets  of  their 
hair,  or  gives  them  a  momentary  shiver.  The  fine  season  is,  in 
fact,  so  short  that  people  must  enjoy  themselves  as  much  as 
possible  while  it  lasts,  and  display  their  bright  summer  dresses 
whenever  there  is  the  least  interval  of  sunshine.  These  women 
are  gay  and  merry ;  they  are  always  ready  to  smile,  in  order  to 
show  their  beautiful  teeth ;  they  exchange  greetings,  and  shake 
hands  energetically  with  the  friends  whom  they  meet ;  which  is 
often  the  case,  as  every  one  here  seems  to  know  everybody  else, 
and  they  look  more  like  the  promenaders  of  a  provincial  town. 


350  DEXMAEK. 


than  the  inhabitants  of  a  capital  city.  The  men  exaggerate  the 
Parisian  fashions,  want  what  we  call  distinction,  and  have  rather 
a  heavy  and  clumsy  gait. 

Passing  through  Dronningenstvergade,  we  arrive  at  a  complete 
"faubourg  St.  Germain,"  w^ith  wide  quiet  streets,  lined  with 
palaces  and  rich  mansions  separated  from  the  public  road  by 
courts  and  wrought-iron  gates.  There  are  but  few  persons  pass- 
ing by.  The  nobility  are  at  their  country-seats,  and  their  town 
residences  are  deserted.  This  quarter  has  a  grand  appearance, 
but  these  solidly  built  mansions  have  not  the  architectural  char- 
acter that  you  might  expect.  They  remind  us  of  our  rococo,  of 
the  period  of  Louis  XV.  You  must  look  at  them  in  their  en- 
tirety, and  not  notice  the  details.  At  the  farther  end  of  this 
quarter  is  an  octagonal  space,  with  four  broad  and  four  narrow 
sides.  At  the  four  smaller  sides  are  four  similar  palaces,  with 
wini^s  extendincT  alon^  the  largjer  sides  and  down  the  streets 
which  open  in  the  middle  of  the  shorter  ends  (Fig.  172).  Two 
of  these  palaces  are  united  by  arches  crossing  one  of  these  streets, 
and  forming  the  royal  residence.  The  square,  if  it  may  be  so 
called,  resembles  the  grand  courtyard  of  a  palace.  In  the  middle 
is  an  equestrian  statue ;  the  whole  has  a  cold  as^^ect,  but  never- 
theless looks  rather  grand. 

Some  masons  were  at  work  in  a  side  street ;  they  were  build- 
ing a  brick  wall,  and  placed  their  bricks  methodically,  but  slowly, 
paying  especial  attention  to  the  reg-ularity  of  the  joints,  adjust- 
ing their  bricks  before  they  laid  them,  fitting  them  gently,  and 
employing  a  thousand  precautions  lest  they  should  break  them ; 
steeping  them  in  water,  and  covering  their  hands  with  tar  to 
protect  them  against  the  rugged  surface  of  the  materials  they 
employed.  Their  task  was  well  finished,  but  they  did  not  work 
quickly,  and  a  great  number  of  men  must  be  employed  to  build 
a  house  during  the  short  space  afforded  by  the  fine  season.  Some 
other  men  were  constructing  a  front  wall  built  of  large  ashlar 
stones,  which  were  all  of  equal  size,  and  consisted  of  granite  with 
the  surface  rendered  slightly  smooth.     The  joints,  which  were 


COPENHAGEN.  351 


very  projecting,  were  of  cement,  and  gauged  to  the  same  width. 
The  work  had  the  appearance  of  being  carefully  finished;  the 
gray  stone  is  surrounded  by  joints,  which,  in  process  of  time, 
become  black,  and  give  the  houses  a  rather  gloomy  look.  The 
wages  of  the  laborers  must  be  low,  or  else  this  kind  of  work 
would  be  very  costly.  They  were  employed,  a  little  farther  on, 
in  forming  an  arch  with  blocks  of  stone ;  the  voussoirs,  prepared 
beforehand,  were  too  long  in  proportion  to  their  breadth ;  they 
were  laid  without  sufficient  precaution,  and  their  form  was  not 
adapted  to  the  purpose  for  which  they  were  intended,  so  that  the 
joints  had  not  a  regular  width ;  they  were  too  close  together  at 
the  base,  and  too  far  apart  at  the  top ;  the  skill  of  the  workman 
was  at  fiiult. 

We  have  not  met  a  single  beggar ;  and  we  begin  to  believe  in 
the  reputation  possessed  by  Copenhagen  of  being  the  best-built 
city  in  Europe.  We  have  not  yet  seen,  and  do  not  expect  to 
see,  any  of  those  dilapidated  dwellings,  those  unwholesome 
hovels,  of  which  too  many  sad  examples  are  to  be  found  in  the 
largest  cities.  Even  in  the  suburbs  there  is  no  vestige  of  those 
wretched  habitations  in  which  the  dregs  of  the  population  of  a 
large  town  pass  their  miserable  and  abject  lives. 

There  is  a  view  of  the  sea  from  the  Amaliengade.  Here  is  to 
be  seen  the  harbor  with  its  ships,  large  and  fine  steamers  which 
are  bound  to  stations  in  the  extreme  North ;  there  is  great  activ- 
ity, but  little  noise.  The  language  spoken  is  harsh,  rapid,  abrupt. 
The  Russian  sailors,  tall,  strong,  and  with  broad  nostrils,  are 
distinguishable  by  their  rough  appearance  and  their  violent  ges- 
tures. A  tavern  established  in  the  underground  story  of  a  house 
is  the  favorite  resort  of  laborers  and  sailors.  We  look  in  at  the 
open  door,  and  see  regularly  arranged  upon  the  counter  large 
glasses  full  of  milk,  and,  near  each,  smaller  glasses  filled  with 
KiTscli ;  the  Danes  drink,  emptying  each  glass  one  after  the 
other,  pay  their  money,  and  go  away  without  noise  and  tumult. 
On  the  other  side,  gin  and  Kummd  are  served  out  to  the  Rus- 
sians ;  they  are  noisy,  boisterous,  and  rough ;  many  of  them  are 


352  DENMARK. 

scarcely  able  to  stand.  This  sobriety  on  the  one  hand,  and  ex- 
cess on  the  other,  form  a  contrast  all  the  more  striking,  as  it  is 
circumscribed  by  so  narrow  a  space. 

We  now  reach  the  sea-shore,  and  find  there  a  long  promenade, 
the  Lange-line,  which  is  sometimes  compared  to  the  Chiaia  at 
Naples.  There,  however,  we  perceive  in  the  midst  of  the  beau- 
tiful bay,  islands  bathed  in  the  blue  waves  of  the  Mediterranean, 
the  smiling  scenery  of  Pausilippo,  groves  of  orange-trees  and  ole- 
anders, the  heights  of  Vesuvius,  and  the  whole  country  flooded 
with  that  brilliant  light  which  makes  so  many  and  such  various 
objects  unite  and  blend  so  exquisitely.  At  Copenhagen  we  see 
the  many  ships  traversing  the  Sound,  sharply  defined  against  the 
green  sea  waters,  and  the  coast-line  of  Sweden  lighted  up  by  the 
pale  Northern  sunshine.  The  Chiaia  and  the  Lange-line  are 
therefore  by  no  means  alike,  but  still  each  has  its  peculiar  merit 
and  beauty.  Thus,  during  the  winter  at  Copenhagen,  when  the 
strait  is  covered  w^ith  a  thick  coating  of  ice,  and  when  the  snow 
conceals  with  its  winding-sheet  both  the  land  and  the  sea,  this 
immense  white  plain,  which  extends  as  far  as  the  pole,  and  is 
wrapped  in  a  dense  mist,  must  unquestionably  present  a  specta- 
cle the  grandeur  and  severe  majesty  of  which  may  well  vie  with 
the  splendor  of  the  lands  of  the  South,  where,  as  at  Naples, 
Nature  has  shown  herself  most  prodigal  of  her  gifts  and 
favors. 

At  this  end  of  the  city  stands  the  citadel,  a  castle  more  gloomy 
than  dancrerous,  more  terrible  than  useful,  constructed  on  Yau- 
ban's  system,  protected  by  two  outworks,  which  modern  artillery 
would  soon  demolish ;  then  close  at  hand  is  a  quarter  formed  of 
Ions  streets  lined  with  small  low  houses,  all  similar  in  form  and 
dimensions,  and.  completely  uniform  in  all  respects ;  this  is  in- 
habited by  sailors  and  other  persons  connected  with  maritime 
occupations. 

We  cross  the  harbor  in  a  boat,  and  land  on  the  island  of 
Amok,  where  are  large  dockyards  for  ship-building,  and  in  a 
side  street  there  are  modest-looking  shops,  in  which  Jews  sell. 


COPENHAGEN.  353 


at  a  moderate  price,  lacquered  ware,  curiosities,  and  porcelain 
from  China  and  Japan.  At  the  end  of  this  street  we  notice  the 
grotesque  tower  of  the  Church  of  the  Trinity ;  and,  returning  by 
the  same  way,  we  see  the  spire  of  the  Exchange,  the  form  of 
which  can  neither  be  understood  nor  described.  At  last,  by  the 
Langebro,  we  come  again  to  the  Wester-allee  and  the  new 
quarters  of  Frederiksborg,  lined  with  cheerful  hotels,  small 
houses,  and  places  of  public  resort,  which  minister  to  the  pleas- 
ures of  the  lower  classes  during  the  summer  fete  days. 

This  was  the  result  of  our  first  walk  in  Copenhagen.  We 
must  now  examine  in  detail  that  which  we  have  only  observed 
in  the  mass  in  this  rapid  survey. 


354  DENMARK. 


COPENHAGEN. 
11. 

KONGENS-NYTORV.  —  AMALIENBORG.  —  RONDE-KIRK.  —  FRUE-KIRK.  —  CHRISTIAN- 
BORG.  —  ROSENBORG.  —  EXCHANGE.  —  CRYSTAL  PALACE.  —  HOSPITAL-SCHOOLS. 
—  FREDERIKSBORG.  — THE  OLD  AND  NEW  FORTIFICATIONS. 

THE  Kongens-Nytorv,  the  Place  Eoyale,  or  new  market, 
serves  as  a  connecting  link  between  the  commercial 
quarter  and  that  inhabited  by  the  nobility.  It  is  very  large, 
and  of  an  irregular  form.  The  palaces,  which  extend  along  one 
side  of  it,  are  not  devoid  of  architectural  interest.  Their  desti- 
nation is  various,  but  their  character  remains  the  same ;  and  one 
cannot  understand  at  first  why,  for  instance,  the  Carlottenborg 
is  not  used  as  a  military  school,  —  the  military  school  for  a 
museum  of  the  fine  arts,  and  vice  xersd. 

Two  old  houses  of  the  seventeenth  century  still  remain  stand- 
ing on  one  of  the  sides  of  the  square  (Fig.  170).  They  belong 
to  that  period  called  the  German  Eenaissance  by  the  Germans, 
who,  in  their  inordinate  vanity,  wish  to  persuade  themselves 
that  they  have  originated  a  school  of  architecture,  because  they 
have  exaggerated  the  forms  and  disfigured  the  proportions  of 
foreign  works. 

These  houses,  built  of  stone  and  brick,  are  of  considerable 
height ;  the  small  space  occupied  by  the  town,  enclosed  as  it  is 
within  the  fortifications,  did  not  allow  the  buildings  to  be  ex- 
tended, and  they  were  therefore  obliged  to  raise  them  to  a 
greater  height.  Each  story  is  marked  out  by  a  moulding,  which 
serves  as  a  support  to  the  windows  of  the  floor  above ;   all  the 


COPENHAGEN.  355 


lintels  are  protected  by  arches;  the  gables  are  pointed,  with 
retreating  portions  ornamented  with  grotesque  pinnacles;  the 
water-courses  and  the  iron  clamps  in  the  walls  still  remain. 

In  the  centre  of  the  square  there  is  a  statue  erected  in  honor 
of  Christian  V.,  which  has  been  judiciously  concealed  behind  a 
clump  of  trees.  It  is  intended  to  be  equestrian,  but  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  ascertain  positively  on  what  animal  the  hero  is  mounted ; 
he  treads  under  foot  a  woman,  the  symbol  of  envy.  Around  the 
pedestal  several  personages  are  arranged,  who  seem  much  aston- 
ished at  being  together,  and  look  as  if  they  were  asking  each 
other  the  reason  of  their  meeting ;  these  are  Alexander,  Hercu- 
les, Artemisia,  and  Minerva.  All  these  grotesque  and  ridiculous 
figures  are  cast  in  lead. 

The  Amalienborg  (Fig.  171)  is  a  series  of  palaces  surrounding 
a  beautiful  square.  Taken  separately,  these  palaces,  which  have 
a  gloomy  and  cold  appearance,  seem  mean ;  but,  seen  together, 
their  mass  is  imposing,  and  we  must  only  look  at  them  in  their 
entirety,  for  their  details  and  arrangement  show  no  originality, 
novelty,  or  evidence  of  careful  study. 

The  middle  of  the  square,  or  rather  of  the  palace-yard  (Fig. 
172),  is  occupied  by  a  leaden  equestrian  figure,  like  that  of 
Christian  V.,  and  representing  a  Frederick  or  a  Christian,  but 
which  of  the  kings  known  by  those  names,  we  will  not  venture 
to  say  for  fear  of  mistake ;  but,  at  all  events,  this  liberal  and 
witty  monarch  certainly  deserved  something  better,  if  only  on 
account  of  the  interesting  anecdote  of  which  he  is  the  subject. 

One  of  tlie  privileges  of  the  nobility,  at  that  time,  permitted 
any  noble  to  get  rid  of  a  villain  who  had  offended  him,  on  con- 
dition of  placing  a  crown  piece  on  his  dead  body.  This  privi- 
lege appeared  to  the  monarch  to  be  excessive,  and  he  suppressed 
it.  There  was  great  discontent  and  complaint  at  court ;  the  no- 
bility combined,  made  protests,  which  were  not  well  received, 
grew  angry,  and  retired  to  their  country  estates,  —  in  short,  acted 
with  such  vigor  that  the  tijrcint  was  obliged  to  yield  and  cancel 
his  decree.     He  did  it,  however,  most  graciously,  and  assembled 


356 


DENMARK 


his  high  and  mighty  lords  to  announce  to  them  the  restoration 
of  the  right  which  they  claimed ;  and  at  the  close  of  his  speech 
he  added,  by  way  of  peroration  :  "  But  if  I  am  not  allowed  to  de- 
prive you  of  any  privilege,  no  one  can  forbid  my  granting  one  to 


Fig.  171— The  Palace  of  Amalienborg. 


my  other  subjects ;  and  I  have  therefore  decided,  that  in  future 
any  man  belonging  to  the  lower  ranks  may  get  rid  of  a  noble 
who  displeases  him,  on  condition  of  paying  two  crowns,  for,  as 
you  have  justly  said,  we  must  maintain  a  proper  line  of  demar- 
cation between  the  social  classes  in  the  community." 


COPENHAGEN. 


The  churches  of  Copenhagen  are  not  very  interesting.  The 
most  remarkable  have  been  destroyed  in  the  great  catastrophes 
that  have  befallen  the  city.  The  Runde-Kirk,  built  in  the  seven- 
teenth century  by  Steenwenkel,  a  pupil  of  Tycho  Brahe,  who 
was  not  only  a  great  astronomer,  but  a  skilful  engineer,  is  the 
oldest  that  is  still  remaining.     It  was  built  in  the  style  which 


}*>   ■     I" 1?2. 


Fig.  172.  —  Plan  of  the  Amalienljorg-Slot. 


is  called,  in  France,  Jesuit  architecture ;  and  there  is  nothing 
worthy  of  notice  in  it  except  the  pyramidal  spire  on  the  top  of 
the  tower  (Fig.  173). 

The  base  of  this  spire  stands  on  a  low  circular  vault,  sup- 
ported by  the  tower,  —  an  enormous  base,  lofty,  with  thick  walls, 
and  great  force  of  resistance.     An  open  spiral  path,  leading  to 


358 


DENMARK. 


Fig.  173.  —  Runde-Kirk,  Copenhagen. 


COPENHAGEN.  359 


the  very  top  of  the  building,  is  hollowed  out  of  the  mass  of  the 
tapering  spire,  thus  allowing  one  to  ascend,  on  the  outside,  to 
the  highest  point,  from  which  there  is  a  magnificent  view.  Or- 
dinary people  go  up  simply  on  foot,  keeping  close  to  the  wall  or 
clinging  to  the  hand-rails ;  and  notwithstanding  these  precau- 
tions, there  is  some  danger  for  persons  w^hose  heads  are  not  very 
steady;  but  some  sovereigns,  as  Christian  IV.  and  Peter  the 
Great,  are  said  to  have  made  the  ascent  in  a  carriage-and-four, 
—  an  extravagant  feat,  whicli  inspired  an  early  writer  with  great 
respect  for  the  coachman  and  the  horses. 

It  is  evident  that  it  is  a  great  mistake  to  compare  the  spiral 
of  the  Runde-Kirk  at  Copenhagen  wath  the  inclined  plane  of  the 
Campanile  of  Venice.  The  former  is  a  very  picturesque  exter- 
nal pathway  of  a  very  unusual  form,  which  could  not  be  modi- 
fied without  being  entirely  destroyed ;  the  latter,  on  the  con- 
trary, being  concealed  in  the  interior  of  the  building,  gives  no 
idea,  from  without,  of  its  form  and  arrangement,  which  might  be 
quite  different  from  w^hat  they  are,  without  materially  altering 
the  form  or  the  plan  of  the  structure. 

The  second  of  the  Copenhagen  churches,  w^orthy  of  a  visit,  is 
the  Frue-Kirk,  the  Church  of  the  Virgin.  The  original  edifice 
was  destroyed  in  1807  by  the  English  bombardment ;  that  which 
exists  at  the  present  time  dates  from  1829,  and  is  the  work  of 
Hansen.  It  is  not  the  architectural  merit  of  this  Greco-Roman 
building  wdiich  attracts  the  notice  of  the  visitor,  but  the  sculp- 
tures of  Thorwaldsen  with  which  it  is  adorned.  The  most 
remarkable  are  those  in  the  tympanum  over  the  principal 
entrance,  and  in  the  pediment  of  the  facade.  They  represent 
our  Saviour's  entrance  into  Jerusalem,  and  St.  John  preaching 
in  the  w^ilderness ;  we  see  also,  in  the  interior,  the  statues  of  the 
twelve  Apostles,  and  under  the  altar,  placed  in  a  niche,  the  w^ell- 
know^n  colossal  head  of  Christ.  As  we  shall  have  occasion, 
w^hen  describing  our  visit  to  the  Thorw^aldsen  Museum,  to  study 
the  works  and  the  genius  of  the  great  Danish  artist,  we  merely 
mention  here  the  sculptures  in  the  Church  of  the  Virgin,  to 
which  w^e  shall  subsequently  refer. 


DENMARK 


The  Christianborg  is  not,  properly  speaking,  a  palace,  but 
rather  the  union  of  several  palaces  of  various  forms,  and  of 
different  importance  and  destination,  erected  at  various  periods, 
partly  destroyed  by  fire  and  war,  and  rebuilt  without  any  idea 
of  uniformity,  or  any  settled  and  definite  plan. 

It  is  possible,  by  simply  comparing  a  few  dates,  to  judge  of 
the  transformations  undergone  by  this  palace.  Bishop  Absalom 
built  in  1168,  on  the  site  now  occupied  by  the  Christianborg, 
a  fortress  which,  after  it  had  become  a  royal  residence,  fell  more 
than  once  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  and  was,  at  last,  utterly 
destroyed.  Frederick  IV.  in  1726  constructed  on  these  ruins 
a  castle,  six  stories  high,  which  could  not  have  been  a  very 
pleasant  dwelling-place,  and  did  not  last  long,  for  Christian  VI. 
caused  it  to  be  pulled  down  in  1740,  and  replaced  by  a  new 
castle,  one  of  the  finest  in  Europe,  if  we  may  believe  the  chroni- 
clers; but  this,  unfortunately,  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1794. 
At  last,  in  1828,  the  edifice  which  we  see  standing  at  the 
present  time  was  finished.  It  is  more  remarkable  for  its  great 
dimensions  than  for  its  form  or  appearance,  for  it  has  the  great- 
est faults  that  can  incontestably  be  found  with  a  work  of  art ; 
it  is  common  and  vulgar. 

The  palace-yard  looks  gloomy ;  grass  grows  between  the  stones 
of  the  pavement ;  the  base  of  the  walls  is  green  with  damp.  At 
the  back  is  a  kind  of  courtyard,  which  is  a  thoroughfare  for  the 
public,  like  ours  at  the  Louvre ;  it  is  surrounded  by  porticos, 
and  terminated  by  two  wings  covered  with  a  terrace  walk,  from 
which  there  is  a  beautiful  view  of  the  country  and  the  sea. 
Before  the  principal  gate  there  is  a  porch,  surmounted  by  a 
pediment,  in  which  Thorwaldsen  sculptured  Jupiter  in  the  midst 
of  Olympus ;  on  one  of  the  sides  of  the  gate  may  also  be  seen 
his  Hercules. 

This  edifice  is  used  for  various  purposes ;  it  contains  state 
apartments  rarely  inhabited,  and  drawing-rooms  for  grand  court 
receptions.  One  of  these  rooms,  the  hall  of  the  knights,  con- 
tains, in  the  entablature  of  a  gallery  which  surrounds  it,  Thor- 


COPENHAGEN.  361 


waldsen's  famous  frieze,  —  the  expeditions  of  Alexander.  The 
rest  of  the  palace  contains  a  riding-school,  stables,  a  theatre,  a 
chapel,  the  ministerial  offices,  the  treasury,  the  high  court  of 
justice,  and  the  hall  of  the  Eeichstag. 

One  of  the  most  agreeable  places  of  residence  in  Copenhagen 
is  the  Eosenborg,  a  chateau  constructed  in  the  midst  of  the 
Kosenborg-have  park,  having  in  front  of  it  a  large  space  used 
for  reviews  and  military  exercises.  The  approach  to  it  is  by 
a  street,  the  Danish  name  of  which,  the  Kronprindsessgade  (the 
street  of  the  Princess  Royal),  deserves  mention,  since  it  shows 
how  easy  this  beautiful  Danish  language  is  to  be  understood, 


r  n 


Fig.  174.  —  Ground-plan  of  the  Rosenborg. 

and  how  conveniently  it  can  be  used  by  foreigners.  The  Rosen- 
borg was  built  in  1604  by  Christian  IV.,  whose  statue  stands 
in  the  courtyard  behind  the  principal  facade.  This  building  is 
of  small  dimensions  for  a  royal  chateau  (Fig.  174) ;  the  staircase 
is  placed  in  a  separate  tower  projecting  beyond  the  rest  of  the 
building.  With  the  exception  of  a  few  large  rooms,  the  whole 
is  used  for  the  preservation  of  the  archives  of  the  kingdom,  and 
contains  documents  precious,  in  an  historical  point  of  view,  con- 
cerning the  monarchy  and  the  charters  of  Denmark. 

The  architecture  of  the  edifice  takes  a  certain  character  from 
the  nature  of  the  materials  employed,  red  bricks  embrowned  by 
time,  and  long  regular  courses  of  freestone,  forming  cornices, 
plain  mouldings,  and  the  parts  around  the  bays.     From  the  side 


362  DENMARK. 


walls  project  bay-windows,  which,  if  other  proofs  were  wanting, 
attest  the  Anglo-Saxon  origin  of  this  building.  Quaint  gables, 
tortured  like  those  of  the  Netherlands,  deprive  the  facades  of 
the  appearance  of  unity,  which  is  noticeable  in  the  lower  parts. 
The  whole,  shown  in  Fig.  175,  is  not  an  architectural  creation; 
it  is  an  agglomeration  of  incongruous  elements,  good  and  bad, 
united  without  any  reason,  and  appearing  dissatisfied  at  find- 
ing themselves  connected  with  each  other.  However,  as  to  its 
resources  and  its  pleasantness  as  a  habitation  (which  is,  in  fact, 
the  main  object  to  be  attained  in  any  dwelling,  whether  a  palace 
or  a  cottage),  this  chateau  is,  of  all  those  to  be  found  in  Copen- 
hagen, that  which,  both  by  its  situation  and  its  general  arrange- 
ment, must  be  the  most  agreeable  and  the  most  convenient.  Its 
appearance,  doubtless,  has  not  been  considered  sufficiently  im- 
posing, for  the  Christianborg,  a  kind  of  fortress,  has  been  pre- 
ferred to  it,  or  the  Amalienborg,  which  is  narrow  and  confined, 
but  has  facades  adorned  with  pilasters  and  column. 

The  Exchange  (Fig.  176)  is  a  long  and  grotesque  building, 
which  occupies  almost  the  whole  of  one  side  of  the  Slotsholms- 
gade.  The  entrance  door  is  in  one  of  the  gables ;  it  is  approached 
by  a  rather  steep  inclined  plane,  which,  seen  from  below,  adds 
to  the  grandeur  of  the  front.  This  gable,  which  is  very  pre- 
tentious in  its  form,  has  at  the  top  a  large  niche,  which  is  still 
vacant,  waiting  for  a  hero.  Behind  this  is  the  Exchange,  prop- 
erly so  called,  which  is  installed  on  the  first  floor,  with  reference 
to  the  level  of  the  quay,  on  which  opens  a  ground-floor  occupied 
by  depots  and  shops  of  all  kinds.  The  fac^ades,  extending  along 
the  quay,  contain  wide  mullioned  windows;  dormer  windows, 
arranged  along  the  roof  at  certain  distances,  and  surmounted  by 
stiff  and  grotesque  gables,  break  the  monotony  of  the  longer 
lines,  and  produce  a  varied  outline,  which,  seen  from  a  distance, 
has  a  good  effect.  But  the  most  important  feature  of  the  build- 
ing, that  which  has  more  especially  rendered  it  noticeable,  is 
the  spire  above  the  central  tower.  This  spire  is  of  timber, 
covered  with  lead,  to  which  has  been  given  the  form  of  four 


COPENHAGEN. 


365 


monsters,  whose  nature  it  is  difficult  to  determine.  Their  heads 
rest  on  the  four  corners  of  the  tower,  and  their  tails  are  curled 
upwards  round  the  spire,  and  terminate  in  a  sharp  point.  It 
is  impossible  to  explain  this  strange  conception,  and  to  under- 


Fig.  176. —The  Exchange,  Copenhagen. 

stand  its  meaning.  Even  its  origin  is  uncertain,  for  it  is  said 
not  to  be  of  Danish  workmanship,  and  Christian  IV.  is  reported 
to  have  brought  it  from  Kalmar,  as  a  trophy  of  his  victory  over 

Sweden. 

This  is  not  a  remarkable  building,  artistically  considered,  but 
its  unusual  character  excites  curiosity. 


366 


D  E  X  :M  A  R  K . 


The  interior  of  the  Exchange  is  not  in  keeping  with  the  outer 
part.  It  seems  almost  a  deception  to  find  there  only  one  or  two 
ordinary  rooms  kept  very  clean,  wainscoted  with  deal  painted 
so  as  to  resemble  oak,  with  a  deceptive  ceiling  divided  into 
sham  compartments,  and  false  projecting  joists  which  support 
a  false  floor. 

The  exhibition  building  was  erected  in  1871  to  receive  the 
Universal  Exhibition  of  the  Northern  European  states ;  this  is 
the  most  important  modern  building  in  Copenhagen.  It  stands 
outside  of  the  town,  near  the  Norrbro,  at  the  extremity  of  a  vast 


Fig.  177.  —  Ground-pian  of  the  Exhibition  Building. 


park,  varied  by  occasional  slight  elevations,  and  pieces  of  water, 
both  salt  and  fresh,  —  real  lakes,  which  allow  certain  special 
exhibitions  of  objects  to  be  made  under  conditions  peculiarly 
appropriate. 

The  palace  forms  a  rectanole  whose  longer  sides  are  492  feet, 
and  the  shorter  ones  295  (Fig.  177) ;  this  rectangle  is  divided 
into  four  compartments,  surrounding  a  central  court  covered 
with  glass. 

A  crystal  palace  like  those  at  Paris,  London,  and  Vienna,  was 
impossible  at  Copenhagen;  the  snow,  which  would  have  accu- 


COPENHAGEN, 


mulated  on  the  large  roofs,  would  have  been  productive  of  raj^id 
injury;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  the  Industri-borg  was  to  be 
preserved,  and  afterwards  utilized  for  several  purposes.  It  was 
therefore  necessary  to  render  it  habitable  at  every  season  of  the 
year,  and  capable  of  being  warmed,  either  entirely  or  in  parts. 
The  Danish  architect  has  surrounded  his  central  court  with 
buildings  having  thick  walls,  the  comparatively  narrow  aper- 
tures in  which,  either  towards  the  public  road  or  the  internal 
courts,  can  easily  be  closed  by  glass  windows.     He  afterwards 


So(  nif  la. 


Fig.  178.  —  Transverse  Section  of  the  Exhibition  Building,  Copenhagen. 

covered  the  interior,  not  with  a  single  roof,  which,  extending 
over  the  lateral  buildings,  would  be  exposed  to  the  terrible 
blasts  of  the  north-wind,  but  by  five  successive  roofs  (Fig.  178), 
resting  on  supports  rising  from  the  foundations ;  these  are  placed 
sufficiently  near  each  other,  and  strong  enough  to  sustain  the 
weight  of  snow  that  might  accumulate  in  the  intervening  spaces. 
This  division  into  five  parts  also  has  the  advantage  of  throwing 
any  occasional  addition  of  weight  on  a  much  larger  surface  than 
could  have  been  done  if  the  roof  had  been  single. 

The  facades  are  rather  monotonous  (Fig.  179) ;  they  might 
perhaps  have  laid  the  bricks  in  a  more  ornamental  manner,  and 


168 


DENMARK. 


it  would  have  been  possible  to  avoid  the  monotony  of  all  those 
windows  of  equal  size,  and  those  similar  pilasters.  Even  the 
entrance-door  is  not  of  sufficient  importance,  and  does  not  look 
grand  and  noble,  in  spite  of  its  dimensions ;  but  the  whole  build- 
ing is  judiciously  constructed.  We  have  already  explained  the 
plan  of  the  large  hall  covered  with  glass ;  the  same  idea  is  car- 
ried out  in  the  facades.     Thus,  the  pilasters  which  ornament 


rajffAJZjijgn'^z 


Fig.  179.  —  General  View  of  the  Indnstri-borg. 


them,  far  from  being  a  mere  decoration,  form,  on  the  contrary, 
firm  and  stable  supports  to  the  walls,  while  the  intervening 
space  is  filled  in  with  slighter  work. 

The  materials  to  be  found  in  the  country  have  alone  been 
employed.  The  floors,  the  steps  of  the  stairs,  and  the  parti- 
tions are  of  deal ;  iron  is  used  in  some  parts  of  the  roof ;  bricks 
constitute  the  whole  of  the  masonry  work  of  the  walls,  and 


COPENHAGEN.  369 


even  of  the  isolated  points  of  support  of  the  grand  nave,  which 
have  the  form  of  columns  of  1  ft.  8  in.  or  2  ft.  3  in.  in  diameter. 

The  primary  schools  are  lofty  and  very  large,  and  the  chil- 
dren are  not  so  crowded  as  in  ours ;  but  these  buildings,  both 
in  their  external  and  internal  arrangements,  are  not  to  be  pre- 
ferred to  those  in  France.  There  is  one  exception  as  to  school 
furniture,  not  with  respect  to  its  form,  but  to  the  manner  of 
its  construction. 

The  Danish  schoolmasters  were  struck  with  the  evils  result- 
ing to  the  health  of  the  child  from  its  being  badly  seated,  and 
having  the  reading-book  or  copy-book  too  near  or  too  far  from 
the  eyes,  during  the  school  hours ;  and  with  the  inconvenience 
of  placing  great  and  little  children  on  the  same  form;  and 
therefore  they  prefer  that  each  child  should  have  a  seat  propor- 
tioned to  its  height,  and  made,  in  some  respects,  to  its  meas- 
ure. The  class-rooms  are  therefore  filled  with  rows  of  small 
pieces  of  furniture,^  comprising  a  chair  furnished  with  arms  and 
a  back,  to  support  the  body  during  the  hours  of  study ;  before 
this  is  placed  a  small  desk,  with  a  top  which  opens  to  hold 
books  and  paper.  Each  child  is  seated  at  the  place  assigned 
to  it  according^  to  a^^^e  and  heig^ht ;  and  the  seats  are  brouu;ht 
nearer  to  each  other  according  as  the  class  is  great  or  small, 
thus  never  leaving  an  empty  or  unoccupied  space. 

This  arrangement  requires  much  room,  and  would  be  very 
costly  in  any  country  where  the  furniture  would  be  required 
to  be  less  roughly  made  than  in  Denmark,  and  in  Sw^edeu, 
where  it  is  also  common.  A  precisely  similar  j)lan  would  not 
seem  practicable  in  France,  but  the  idea  might  be  adopted,  and 
we  might  find  it  advantageous  to  remedy  somewhat  our  school 
furniture,  which  is  so  inconvenient. 

The  large  Communal  Hospital  (Fig.  180)  is  built  almost  in 
the  country  —  where  all  hospitals  ought  to  be  located  —  between 
the  outer  w^all  and  a  large  canal  which  surrounds  the  city  on 

1  See  "Construction  et  installation  des  ecoles  primaires,"  par  Felix  Naijoux. 
1  vol.  8vo.     Morel  &  Co.,  13  Rue  Bonaparte. 


370 


DENMARK. 


this  side.  The  ^yards  are  of  great  size,  and  occupied  by  a  re- 
stricted number  of  patients ;  they  oj)en  on  a  gallery  connected 
Avith  the  various  domestic  offices.  The  rooms  appropriated  to 
the  officers  of  the  establishment  extend  along  enclosed  courts, 
^yhile  the  sick-wards  have  open  courts  around  them.  This 
establishment  is  therefore  well  arranged  as  far  as  salubrity  is 
concerned,  but  the  internal  apj)ointments-are  not  so  comfortable 
as  are  required  in  hospitals  of  this  character. 

We  have  still  to  pay  a  visit  to  another  palace,  that  of  Fred- 


w^m 


Fig.  180.  —  Ground-plan  of  Communal  Hospital. 


1.  Director's  apartments, 

2.  Sick-wards. 

3.  Eooms  for  separate  patients. 

4.  Domestic  offices. 


5.  AVards  for  contagious  maladies. 

6.  Lying-in  ward. 

7.  Surgery  and  Amphitheatre. 

8.  Chapel. 


eriksborg,  at  the  gates  of  the  city.  "We  enter,  at  the  Kongens 
Nytorv,  one  of  those  large  omnibuses  which  are  just  beginning 
to  be  used  in  Paris,  and  in  which  forty  persons  can  sit  with 
ease,  and  can  enter  or  leave  the  vehicle  without  pressing  or  in- 
terfering with  each  other.  The  omnibus  is  full ;  a  woman  pre- 
sents herself,  and  immediately  a  man  rises,  gives  up  his  place, 
and  stands  upon  the  platform.  Each  passenger,  when  he  pays 
the  conductor,  takes  as  a  receipt  a  little  square  piece  of  paper, 
which  he  holds  in  his  hand,  and  thus  avoids  all  dispute.     You 


COPENHAGEN.  371 


pay  by  tickets  instead  of  money,  and  these  are  sold  beforehand 
at  the  offices.  When  any  one  wishes  to  alight  between  two  sta- 
tions, the  horses  slacken  their  pace  without  entirely  stopping. 
The  carriages  cannot  turn  on  their  springs,  so  that  when  they 
reach  the  end  of  their  journey,  the  horses  are  unharnessed  and 
put  in  at  the  opposite  end.  There  is  but  one  tramway,  so  all 
the  carriages  must  wait  for  each  other  at  the  crossings.  This 
camses  long  and  frequent  delays,  but  no  one  is  disturbed  by  it  or 
grows  impatient. 

We  alight  at  a  large  iron  gate,  at  the  end  of  a  road  planted 
with  trees.  This  avenue  has  on  each  side  cheerful  houses,  sur- 
rounded with  gardens,  lawns,  and  beds  of  flowers.  At  the  ex- 
tremity is  the  Frederiksborg-have,  a  very  beautiful  park,  though 
of  no  great  extent,  well  laid  out,  so  as  to  appear  larger  than  it 
really  is,  and  traversed  by  a  Seiyentine  River  ;  but  the  flat  and 
level  soil  is  not  well  suited  for  such  picturesque  conceptions. 
The  palace,  which  stands  in  the  front  of  a  large  court  and  a 
green  lawn,  is  an  ugly  building,  of  a  kind  of  Italian  architecture, 
uninteresting  and  with  no  originality.  This  park  and  the  avenues 
which  lead  to  it  serve  as  a  drive  for  carriages  during  certain 
summer  nights,  when  the  sun  remains  above  the  horizon  till  ten 
o'clock.  Then  popular  fetes  are  held  there ;  and  performances 
in  the  open  air,  cafe  concerts  and  noisy  balls  give  extraordinary 
animation  to  the  scene.  It  is  said  that  these  fetes  are  very 
curious  for  a  foreigner  to  witness ;  but  unfortunately  we  are  far 
from  the  time  when  they  take  place,  but  the  amusements  which 
are  offered  by  the  Tivoli  Garden  may  give  us,  as  we  are  told, 
a  good  idea  of  them. 

The  old  city  is  surrounded  by  ramparts  which  cramp  it ;  while 
the  new  one,  on  the  contrary,  spreads  and  extends  without  re- 
straint. It  passes  into  the  country  by  wide  and  beautiful  avenues, 
builds  its  houses  in  the  midst  of  gardens,  and  surrounds  them 
with  verdure  and  flowers. 

The  fortifications  of  the  old  city  are  insufficient ;  they  would 
not  now  protect  it,  even  provided  that  they  could  protect  any- 


DEXMARK. 


thing  but  a  very  small  portion  of  tlie  habitations.  A  bombard- 
ment would  soon  demolish  the  lines,  if  they  were  exposed  to  the 
fire  of  the  besiegers,  and  the  city  might  be  entirely  destroyed  by 
means  of  cannon  of  long  range,  placed  in  batteries  at  the  distance 
of  6,500  yards,  and  firing  at  random.  It  has,  therefore,  been 
necessary  to  provide  against  this  contingency,  and  to  insure  a 
safe  defence  if  required. 

The  attacking  batteries,  according  to  modern  warfare,  w^ould 
be  composed  of  guns  of  long  range,  and,  as  we  have  said,  would 
probably  be  placed  by  the  besiegers  at  the  distance  of  from  six 
to  eight  thousand  yards  from  the  place  to  be  taken,  and  they 
would  fire  either  directly  or  vertically.  In  either  case  certainty 
of  aim  would  not  be  possible  at  that  distance,  since  an  inappre- 
ciably small  difference  in  the  training  of  the  gun  w^ould  give  a 
considerable  divergence  from  the  mark  at  which  the  shot  is 
aimed.  For  this  reason  one  can  rarely  attain  accuracy  of  aim 
by  direct  fire;  on  the  contrary,  the  projectile  almost  always 
passes  over  the  ramparts,  and  falls  at  a  greater  or  less  distance 
beyond,  so  as  sometimes  even  to  go  over  the  opposite  parapet 
of  the  town  or  fortress.  With  vertical  fire,  relative  success,  at 
least,  is  more  certain.  In  fact,  taking  as  an  example  a  place 
defended  on  Yauban's  system,  still  in  use  even  in  modern  times, 
we  see  that,  though  the  projectile  very  rarely  strikes  the  ram- 
parts, it  is  not  difficult  to  make  it  fall  within  the  lines,  and  do 
irreparable  injury  to  the  barracks  and  magazines  of  all  kinds 
crowded  together  there,  and  often  to  a  whole  city.  The  enemy, 
carefully  firing  into  a  circle  of  large  diameter,  is  thus  always 
certain  of  doing  sufficient  damage  to  cause  the  surrender  of  the 
place  within  a  certain  time. 

But  if,  instead  of  an  enceinte  fortified  by  fronts  and  salients 
enclosing  a  large  space,  the  defence  presented  only  a  succession 
of  very  extended  fronts  of  but  little  depth,  and  if  these  fronts 
were  connected  with  each  other  by  splinter-proof  passages,  trav- 
erses, and  covered  ways,  and  were  also  sufficiently  distant  from 
each  other,  so  that  the  projectile  intended  for  the  outer  line  of 


COPENHAGEN.  373 


fortifications  should  not  reach  the  second,  and  so  in  succession, 
the  efforts  of  the  besiegers  would  be  singularly  neutralized.  In 
the  first  place  the  quantity  of  projectiles  required  would  be  enor- 
mous, since  it  would  be  an  exceptional  case  when  those  sent 
would  reach  their  aim  ;  and  the  line  of  defence,  being  extended 
over  a  considerable  front,  would  be  very  effective.  As  to  towns, 
instead  of  being  surrounded  by  walls,  they  would,  on  the  con- 
trary, be  open  and  free,  sheltered  from  a  bombardment,  and  be- 
yond the  range  of  projectiles,  because  of  the  distance  of  the  outer 
lines  of  defence  from  the  inner  enclosure. 

It  is  this  system  which  is  to  be  employed  in  the  defence  of 
Copenhagen.  Forts,  presenting  an  extended  front  with  but  little 
depth,  will  be  erected  at  a  great  distance  from  the  town  on  the 
heights  of  Vigersbev  and  Utterslev,  to  protect  it  on  the  land 
side  ;  while  a  fortress,  defended  in  the  same  manner,  and  built  on 
a  part  of  the  coast  w^hich  is  not  yet  definitely  determined,  will 
defend  it  from  any  attack  by  sea.  These  forts,  connected  with 
each  other  by  covered  ways  and  secondary  works,  will  prevent 
approach,  and  defy  the  terrible  projectiles  of  modern  artillery. 
In  addition  to  this,  the  line  of  defence  thus  obtained  will  be 
too  considerable  to  be  blockaded,  and  the  complete  investiture 
of  the  town  will  thus  eventually  become  impossible. 

The  siege  of  Paris  in  1870  has  afforded  experience  to  the 
Danes,  as  we  have  already  seen ;  why  did  not  we  profit  in  the 
same  manner  by  the  lessons  which  they  had  received  during 
the  war  of  the  Duchies  ? 

The  inhabitants  of  Copenhagen  have  good  reasons  for  taking 
these  precautions.  They  find,  in  the  history  of  the  city,  records 
of  great  disasters  that  have  befallen  them ;  and  without  going 
back  farther  than  the  beginning  of  this  century,  they  remember 
the  attack  attempted  by  Xelson  in  1801,  and,  six  years  after- 
wards, the  bombardment  of  their  city  by  the  same  English,  who, 
without  any  previous  declaration  of  war,  destroyed,  in  three 
days,  three  hundred  houses  and  public  buildings,  and  took 
possession  of  the  Danish  fleet. 


374  DENMARK, 


COPENHAGEN. 
HI. 

THE  MUSEUMS.  —  THORWALDSEN  MUSEUM.  — THE  MUSEUM  OF  NORTHERN  AN- 
TIQUITIES. —  THE  ETHNOGRAPHICAL  MUSEUM. 

THIS  morning  it  rains ;  later  in  the  day  it  will  be  very  hot ; 
and  in  the  evening  we  shall  be  frozen  by  the  north-wind. 
This  is  a  climate  which  has  nothing  settled  except  its  variation, 
and  it  is  sufficiently  trying  to  foreigners.  Therefore  we  get 
under  shelter  whenever  we  can,  and  spend  our  mornings  in  the 
museums,  where  we  are  fully  compensated  for  our  disappoint- 
ment in  not  being  able  to  examine  the  public  buildings  of 
Copenhagen. 

THE  THORWALDSEN  MUSEUM. 

On  one  of  the  sides  of  the  Christianborg  stands  a  long  square 
building,  the  front  of  which  is  ornamented  w^ith  Etruscan  paint- 
ings, which  it  would  be  more  correct  to  call  grotesque.  These 
represent  the  principal  events  in  the  life  of  Thorwaldsen,  of 
whom  Denmark  is  so  proud,  and  in  whose  honor  the  museum 
which  bears  his  name  has  been  erected.  This  museum  contains 
a  great  many  original  works  of  the  illustrious  sculptor,  and  the 
moulds,  models,  or  sketches  of  almost  all  the  others. 

Thorwaldsen  was  born  at  Copenhagen  in  1770;  he  gained  in 
1796  the  first  prize  at  the  Academy,  and  was  sent  to  Eome  at 
the  expense  of  the  government.  This  journey  was  made  at  an 
unpropitious  time,  which  was  very  unfavorable  for  study ;  the 


COPENHAGEN.  375 


political  agitation  into  which  Europe  was  thrown  at  that  period 
occupied  the  minds  of  all  men  so  entirely,  that  the  feelings  of 
the  citizen  allowed  but  little  scope  to  the  inspiration  of  the 
artist ;  so  that  the  time  allotted  for  his  stajj  there  closed  with- 
out allowing  Thorwaldsen  to  give  much  promise  of  what  he 
would  one  day  become.  The  generosity  of  Hope,  the  banker, 
gave  him  an  opportunity  of  continuing  his  studies,  and  the 
works  which  his  genius  inspired  were  from  this  time  produced 
without  any  further  delay  or  relaxation. 

After  his  first  attempt,  Jason  carrying  off  the  Golden  Fleece, 
the  marble  copy  of  which  is  in  London,  the  bronze  in  the  pos- 
session of  the  King  of  Denmark,  and  the  plaster  model  at  the 
Thorwaldsen  Museum,  there  followed  rapidly  a  vast  number  of 
busts  of  all  the  important  personages  in  Europe,  and  at  that 
time  there  were  indeed  many.  All  those  heroes  who  had  re- 
cently acquired  glory  wished  to  transmit  to  posterity  their  fea- 
tures sculptured  in  marble  or  cast  in  bronze.  At  the  same  time 
as  these  works,  which  were  produced  from  day  to  day,  appeared 
the  Lion  of  Lucerne ;  the  monument  in  memory  of  Poniatowski, 
erected  in  front  of  the  bridge  over  the  Vistula  at  Warsaw ;  the 
Triumph  of  iVlexander,  ordered  by  Napoleon,  which  we  saw  at 
the  Christianborg ;  the  bas-relief  of  Priam  and  Achilles,  one  of 
his  most  popular  works;  the  medallion  of  Mght;  the  statues 
of  the  Graces,  of  Hebe,  Adonis,  Venus,  and  Hope;  those  of 
Copernicus,  Maximilian  of  Bavaria,  Byron,  and  Christian  IV. ; 
the  tomb  erected  in  St.  Peter's  to  Pius  VIL,  etc.,  etc.  Any 
account  of  a  visit  to  the  museum  must  necessarily  be  to  some 
extent  a  mere  catalogue  of  names. 

After  having  accomplished  these  laborious  tasks,  Thorwaldsen 
was  seized  with  an  irresistible  desire  to  return  to  his  native 
country.  He  quitted  Eome,  after  having  lived  there  forty-two 
years,  and  in  1838  came  back  to  Copenhagen,  where  he  was 
received  in  triumph.  ISTotwithstanding  his  advanced  age,  for 
he  was  now  sixty-eight,  the  great  artist  set  to  work,  and  still 
gave  proofs  of  his  skill.     The  decoration  of  the  Frue-Kirk  at 


376  DENMARK. 


Copenhagen  was  intrusted  to  him ;  this  was  his  final  important 
work,  and  the  last  scintillation  of  his  genius.  Thorwaldsen  died 
in  1844,  six  years  after  his  return  to  his  native  city.  His  tomb 
was  erected  in  the  court  of  the  museum  which  is  devoted  to  his 
memory,  which  bears  his  name,  and  where  he  rests  in  the  midst 
of  his  works. 

Thorwaldsen  disputed  with  Canova  the  glory  of  being  the 
first  sculptor  at  the  commencement  of  this  century ;  there  were 
many  controversies  to  establish  the  superiority  or  inferiority 
of  the  Danish  sculpture  when  compared  with  that  of  Italy. 
This  was  a  barren  discussion,  since  the  premises  of  argument 
were  incorrect.  Thorwaldsen  was  not  a  Danish,  but  a  Eoman 
sculptor,  like  Canova,  from  whom  he  received  lessons.  He  did 
not  create  a  school  or  a  style  peculiar  to  himself;  his  produc- 
tions do  not  form  a  distinct  branch  of  art,  but,  on  the  contrary, 
belong  to  the  Italian  school,  which  he  studied,  and  the  tenden- 
cies, forms,  and  results  of  which  he  so  happily  assimilated  to 
himself 

An  indefatigable  laborer,  Thorwaldsen  produced  many  works. 
The  most  remarkable  were  aU  originated  at  Eome,  under  the 
influence  of  the  surroundings  in  the  midst  of  which  he  lived. 
Except  the  bas-reliefs  of  the  Frue-Kirk  of  Copenhagen,  sculp- 
tured in  the  decline  of  his  career,  his  works  were  all  executed 
far  from  the  scenes  of  his  native  land ;  and  not  one,  except  a 
few  busts  and  statues,  was  inspired  by  the  manners,  the  nation, 
or  the  men  of  the  country  where  he  was  born.  His  imagination 
revelled  in  the  ideal  world,  and  all  his  most  remarkable  com- 
positions have  for  their  object  the  reproduction  of  an  allegorical 
idea,  recollections  of  mythological  ages,  or  of  so  distant  a  period 
of  history  that  it  may  be  ranged  among  them.  When,  on  the 
contrary,  he  wishes  to  reproduce  a  purely  human  idea,  and  to 
represent  a  contemporary  personage,  with  respect  to  whom  the 
ordinar}^  details  of  life  are  of  importance,  he  becomes  inferior 
to  himself.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  his  Cupids  of  every  kind, 
his  Gods  of  Olympus,  and  the  Triumph  of  Alexander  are  far 


COPENHAGEN.  377 


superior  to  his  statues  of  Schiller,  Gutenburg,  Pius  YII.,  Pouia- 
towski,  and  others,  whatever  the  incontestable  merits  of  these 
works  may  be, 

.The  chief  characteristics  of  the  works  of  art  of  the  countries 
beyond  the  Ehine  are  the  careful  working  out  of  detail,  and 
their  servile  and  often  trivial  copying.  Purely  ideal  concep- 
tions are  not  formed  by  these  artists,  and  the  productions  of 
Thorwaldsen  are  remarkable  for  results  diametrically  opposed 
to  these.  He  had  the  germ  of  his  genius  within  himself,  in 
his  soul  and  his  nature ;  but  it  was  under  the  sky  of  Italy,  and 
by  the  study  and  the  contemplation  of  the  productions  of  Eome, 
that  this  divine  essence  was  developed,  and  acquired  its  povver 
and  perfection ;  the  seed  was  sown  in  Denmark,  but  it  put  forth 
its  full  blossom  only  in  Italy. 

Thorwaldsen  was  not,  therefore,  a  Danish,  but  a  Eoman  artist ; 
if  he  was  born  in  Denmark,  he  lived,  formed  his  artistic  char- 
acter, and  became  what  he  was  only  in  Italy. 

The  tombs  of  Canova  and  of  Thorwaldsen  plainly  show  the 
difference  of  sentiment  between  the  races  and  countries  which 
have  given  them  birth.  They  are  evident  proofs  of  the  distance 
which  separates  these  two  countries,  which  distinguishes  their 
tastes,  their  feelings,  and  the  manner  in  which  they  receive 
impressions. 

The  tomb  of  the  Danish  sculptor  is  a  complicated  monument, 
both  in  form  and  dimensions ;  for  it  is  not  merely  the  mound 
and  the  sepulchral  stone  erected  in  the  midst  of  the  court.  His 
tomb  is  rather  the  museum,  the  halls  and  galleries,  the  works 
of  all  kinds,  sculptures,  inscriptions,  symbols,  the  triumphal  car, 
the  laurels;  each  minute  detail  is  carefully  carried  out,  each 
souvenir  appeals  to  our  attention,  excites  our  curiosity,  and  sat- 
isfies it;  it  insists  upon  informing  all,  as  if  they  were  totally 
ignorant  of  it,  who  it  was  whose  loss  is  so  much  deplored.  Noth- 
ing must  be  left  to  be  guessed  or  interpreted  by  the  imagination 
of  the  people  of  the  Xorth. 

What  a  difference  between  this  funeral  monument  and  the 


378  DENMABK. 


tomb  of  Canova  iu  the  Cliurcli  of  de  Trari  at  Venice !  When 
we  disregard  the  rather  complicated  assemblage  of  persons  and 
scenes,  which  are  independent  of  the  general  conception,  and 
render  it  pretentious,  we  see  only  a  pyramid  of  marble.  At  the 
base  stands  a  winged  genius,  who  is  extinguishing  a  torch  and 
opening  the  door ;  through  the  opening  we  perceive  the  gloomy 
horror  of  darkness,  and  on  the  top  of  the  pyramid  are  these 
words :  "  To  Canova."  The  spectator  is  astonished,  disturbed, 
and  excited.  This  is  not  effected  by  the  multiplicity  of  the 
means  employed,  by  novelty  of  invention,  or  complicated  de- 
tails; but  these  blocks  of  stone,  and  this  door  of  eternity  left 
open,  sufficiently  tell  the  tale.  The  impressionable  Italian  needs 
but  a  word,  a  sign,  and  an  indication. 

MUSEUM  OF  NORTHERN  ANTIQUITIES. 

The  museum  of  the  Antiquities  of  the  North  is  installed  in 
the  palace  of  the  princes.^  This  is  richer  in  prehistoric  antiqui- 
ties than  any  other  in  Europe  ;  there  we  hnd  collected,  classified, 
and  explained,  all  the  discoveries  obtained  from  excavations 
made  in  the  islands  of  the  Baltic,  and  in  the  peat  bogs  of  Funen, 
Zealand,  Gothland,  Eugen,  and  elsewhere.  The  different  ages 
of  the  world  are  there  .represented  by  objects  illustrating  the 
various  degrees  of  civilization.  We  may  thus  follow,  step  by 
step,  the  formation  of  the  social  ages  of  the  globe.  The  classifi- 
cation is  so  well  made,  and  the  objects  so  skilfully  displayed, 
that  we  go  from  one  glass  case  to  another  without  fatigue  or 
ennui,  studying,  comparing  the  various  transitions  and  the 
handiwork  of  men  who  succeeded  each  other,  generation  after 
generation,  in  a  regular,  constant,  and  uninterrupted  gradation. 

We  pass  by  the  ages  of  polished  stone ;  all  these  little  flint 
implements,  whether  round,  sharp,  or  worked  'into  a  pointed 
form,  or  one  resembling  a  hatchet,  give  us  but  little  informa- 

1  See  "Musee  des  Antiquites  du  Nord  a  Copenhague."  Engelhardt,  Kioben- 
havn,  1870. 


Figs.  181  to  185.  —Trumpet  of  the  Age  of  Bronze. 

(Prehistoric  period.) 

From  the  Museum  of  Scandinavian  Antiquities,  Copenhagen, 


COPENHAGEN.  381 


tion ;  and  we  reach  the  rooms  allotted  to  the  bronze  age,  that 
period  when  arms  and  cutting  instruments  were  cast  in  bronze, 
an  alloy  of  copper  and  tin.  Gold  was  already  frequently  used 
in  the  manufacture  of  jewelry  and  ornaments,*  but  they  did  not 
yet  understand  the  working  of  iron  and  silver;  and  they  were 
also  ignorant  of  the  process  of  soldering.  They  were,  therefore, 
much  restricted  in  their  productions,  and  the  forms  obtained 
could  vary  but  slightly.  Yet  the  results  are  very  astonishing; 
we  may  judge  of  them  by  some  ordinary  articles  selected  from 
among  those  which  struck  us  the  most. 

A  bronze  trumpet  (Fig.  181),  composed  of  several  parts  joined 
together,  but  cast  separately,  the  form  of  which  resembles  the 
letter  S.  A  small  chain  connects  the  two  ends,  and  from  the 
links  of  this  chain  project  small  birds  (Fig.  182),  the  first 
attempt  to  represent  living  creatures.  Projecting  rings  (Fig. 
183)  on  the  body  of  the  trumpet  show  where  the  chain  was 
attached;  the  mouthpiece  (Fig.  184)  is  still  surrounded  by 
some  threads  or  the  woof  of  some  kind  of  stuff,  intended  to 
be  grasped  by  the  hand  of  the  person  who  wished  to  use  the 
instrument;  on  the  mouth  (Fig.  185)  are  traced  in  intaglio 
some  perfectly  regular  geometrical  designs.  It  would  certainly 
be  curious  to  place  this  trumpet  to  one's  mouth,  and  to  ascer- 
tain what  sounds  it  would  give  forth,  and  what  melody  it  was 
formerly  able  to  produce. 

Fig.  186  represents  the  handle  of  a  drinking-horn,  made  of 
bronze. 

There  is  also  a  bronze  dagger  about  13  inches  long  and  l-\ 
inch  broad ;  on  the  handle  there  are  designs  engraved,  very  sim- 
ple geometrical  figures,  but  very  regularly  traced ;  the  sheath 
is  made  of  wood,  covered  w^ith  carving ;  the  care  shown  in  the 
fabrication,  the  choice  metal,  and  the  finished  touches  of  the 
ornamental  parts,  show  that  this  poniard  was  a  valuable  weapon. 
It  was  found  in  a  wooden  coffin,  formed  of  the  trunk  of  an  oak, 
hollowed  out  without  the  aid  of  the  saw,  no  traces  of  which 
could  be  found.     The  bottom  of  the  coffin  was  covered  with 


382  DENMARK. 


the  hide  of  an  ox,  on  which  the  corpse  was  laid,  dressed  in  gala 
costume,  and  surrounded  by  his  weapons.  The  other  articles 
discovered  in  this  coffin  were  very  curious ;  there  was  a  frag- 
ment of  a  dress  composed  of  woollen  cloth,  a  small  box,  a  horn 
comb,  a  bronze  knife,  and  a  hatchet,  also  made  of  bronze.  This 
hollow  hatchet  is  filled  with  clay;  one  of  the  sides  has  been 
broken,  but  the  other,  which  remains  intact,  has  on  its  surface 
ornaments  in  deep  intaglio,  incrusted  with  gold. 

Fig.  187  represents  a  bronze  pin,  of  the  natural  size,  and  of 
a  regular  design ;  the  plan  by  which  the  pin  is  moved  is  very 
simple  and  ingenious,  and  is  still  in  use  in  modern  jewelry. 
Some  other  very  rich  golden  ornaments,  but  heavy  in  appear- 
ance, and  of  no  very  complicated  workmanship,  are  by  the  side 
of  the  first;  these  are  diadems,  bracelets,  rings,  and  armlets, 
ornamented  with  engraved  work  and  spiral  or  geometrical  de- 


Fig.  186.  —  Handle  of  Drinking- vessel. 

signs.  There  are  in  every  instance  the  same  simple  patterns, 
easily  traced  and  uniformly  repeated. 

The  iron  age  improves  slightly  on  these  early  productions 
of  human  industry.  We  will  mention  some  specimens  of  this 
period. 

Coins  with  Cufic  ^  legends,  of  the  ninth,  tenth,  and  eleventh 
centuries,  which  have  enabled  us  to  distinguish  three  distinct 
periods  in  the  iron  age.  Articles  of  the  toilet  or  the  riding- 
school,  earthen  vases,  etc. 

Fig.  188  represents  a  bronze  pin,  of  the  natural  size;  the 
spring  which  is  adapted  to  the  pin  is  of  a  spiral  form,  scarcely 
different  from  those  used  at  the  present  day.  At  the  extremity, 
near  the  broken  portion,  is  the  inscription  "  Hiriso,"  which  re- 

1  Arabic  characters  used  before  the  fourth  century  after  the  Hegira.  —  Tr. 


COPENHAGEN.  38: 


minds  us  of  those  of  the  same  kind  which  are  now  engraved  on 
ladies'  ornaments ;  all  round  this  are  small  ornamental  circular 
depressions.  The  body  of  the  pin  was  evidently  intended  to 
represent  a  ribbon  or  some  kind  of  stuff  tied  in  a  bow. 

Another  very  curious  bronze  pin,  of  simple  but  very  original 
form,  is  shown  in  Fig.  189,  two  thirds  of  the  natural  size;  the 
spiral  which  gives  motion  to  the  spring  is  similar  to  that  used 
in  pins  of  English  manufacture  (Kirby). 

Many  other  ornaments  of  the  same  kind  are  to  be  seen,  with 
inscriptions,  which  are  most  probably  Eunic. 

rig.  190  represents  a  bronze  cup,  half  the  natural  size,  of  re- 
markable workmanship ;  the  outlines  are  sharp,  well  defined, 
and  free  from  stiffness ;  the  handle  is  curiously  curved,  and  of 


Fig.  187.— Bronze  Pin. 

original  form ;  in  the  upper  part  is  an  attempt  at  the  represen- 
tation of  the  head  of  some  animal.  This  vessel  came  from  a 
tumulus  discovered  in  Jutland,  wliich  was  formed  of  two  concen- 
tric circles  of  stone ;  in  the  middle  were  found  other  goblets  of 
silver,  enriched  with  plates  of  gold,  and  a  kind  of  saucepan  cov- 
ered with  a  strainer,  intended,  as  is  supposed,  to  receive  the 
blood  of  victims  after  a  sacrifice. 

There  are  also  other  ornaments  of  Byzantine  workmanship  for 
women ;  these  are  heavy  and  clumsily  formed,  and  on  many  of 
them  Kunic  inscriptions  are  engraved. 

There  is  a  boat,  discovered  in  the  peat-bogs  of  Sleswig  (a  ves- 
sel more  than  78  feet  long,  and  11|-  feet  in  its  greatest  breadth), 
in  which  there  is  an  oar  still  remaining,  in  such  a  state  of  pres- 


384 


DENMARK. 


ervation  as  to  allow  us  to  study  the  mode  of  construction,  and 
the  manner  in  which  wood  Avas  employed,  We  see  also  spear- 
heads, swords  whose  blades  are  damascened  with  wonderful  care 


Fig.  188.  —  Bronze  Pin. 


and  art,  fragments  of  coats  of  mail,  and  clasps  to  fasten  them. 
A  helmet  made  of  rejoousse  bronze,  and  plated  with  silver ;  the 
visor  allows  the  mouth,  nose,  and  eyes  to  appear,  the  hinder  part 


Fig.  189. —Bronze  Pin. 

was  enclosed  with  bars  of  openwork ;  between  these  two  parts 
is  a  rich  band  embellished  with  gold,  and  decorated  with  en- 
crraved  desicjns. 

In  Fig.  191  is  shown  part  of  the  harness  for  a  horse,  of  the 
]ater  iron  age,  which  came  from  a  tumulus  opened  in  the  island 


COPENHAGEN.  385 


of  Funen.  It  is  composed  of  an  arched  cross-piece  of  wood, 
ornamented  at  the  upper  part  by  a  projecting  piece  through 
which  the  reins  were  passed.  The  ends  are  enriched  by  the 
heads  of  fantastic  animals  (Fig.  192),  and  the  ornaments,  made 
of  repousse  bronze,  engraved  and  gilded,  are  wrought  with  ex- 
treme care ;  they  show  one  of  the  earliest  examples,  of  so  suc- 
cessful a  character,  of  the  reproduction  of  allegorical  figures, 
resembling,  in  some  degree,  beings  endowed  with  life.  There 
are  also  fragments  of  woollen  and  silk  stuffs,  of  an  odd  design, 
easily  understood,  but  difficult  to  describe;   as  well  as  Euuic 


Fig.  190.  —  Bronze  Cup. 

stones,  covered  with  inscriptions,  which  appear  to  possess  a  high 
archfieological  interest,  but  which  we  are  unable  to  understand 
or  discuss. 

We  now  come  to  the  Middle  Ages. 

The  new  kind  of  architecture,  introduced  into  the  North  at 
this  period,  and  derived  from  Ehenish  recollections  or  those 
brought  from  the  Isle  of  France  by  monks  of  all  orders,  does  not 
manifest  its  influence  by  large  public  buildings  or  edifices  of 
great  size.  Examples  of  this  kind  are  very  rare ;  those  found  in 
Scandinavian  lands  are,  with  few  exceptions,  dark,  low  churches, 


386 


DENMARK. 


without  towers  or  steeples ;  often  with  a  flat  wooden  ceiling  in- 
stead of  a  vaulted  one.     The  interiors  are  meagre,  and  in  the 


COPENHAGEN. 


387 


few  decorations  that  we  find,  Pagan  ideas  predominate,  adapted 
to  the  requirements  of  the  new  worship.  But  still,  the  gradual 
improvement  of  Middle  Age  art  may  be  seen  and  ascertained  in 
the  monuments  of  this  period  which  are  still  preserved. 


Fig.  193.  —  Granite  Tomb.    Front  View. 


We  will  mention  a  few  of  these. 

A  tomb  made  of  granite  (Fig.  193)  shaped  like  a  roof;  the 
ridge,  the  sloping  side,  and  the  base  are  surrounded  by  a  mould- 
ing, forming  a  kind  of  frame.     The  tomb  was  supported  by  two 


Pig.  194.  — opposite  Side  of  Tomb. 

stones,  having  grooves  cut  to  receive  it,  and  placed  at  each  end. 

On  one  side  is  sculptured  in  relief  (Fig.  194)  a  man,  armed 

with  a  bow,  fighting  with  a  centaur,  behind  whom  stands  an 


DENMARK 


angel  carrying  a  child  in  his  arms.  On  the  opposite  side  is  a 
fanciful  animal  (Fig.  193)  devouring  a  man,  whose  head  alone  is 
still  protruding  from  its  jaws. 

The  Danish  archaeologists,  as  ingenious  as  those  in  France, 
suppose  that  the  former  subject  represents  the  deceased  striving 
against  evil,  under  the  figure  of  the  centaur.  The  angel  on  the 
other  side  is  St.  Michael,  opening  his  arms  to  the  soul,  victori- 
ous in  the  fight  to  which  his  fleshly  body  has  been  exposed. 
The  second  subject  is  an  allusion  to  the  words  of  the  Apostle  St. 


Fig.  195.  —  Granite  Font. 


Peter,  "  Your  adversary,  the  devil,  as  a  roaring  lion,  goeth  about, 
seeking  whom  he  may  destroy." 

Granite  baptismal  font  (Fig.  195).  In  the  front  of  this  is  the 
figure  of  a  woman  between  two  imaginary  animals,  who  are 
gnawing  her  arms ;  the  manner  in  which,  according  to  Danish 
archaeologists,  they  expressed  the  fact  that  man  is  always  a  prey 
to  evil  passions,  unless  he  watch  against  them. 

The  sculpture  of  these  two  small  monuments  of  the  past  is  in 
good  preservation,  and  its  execution  is  distinguished  for  its 
remarkable  simplicity,  which  is  shown,  not  only  in  the  work- 
manship itself,  but  also  in  the  expression  of  the  figures,  and  the 


COPENHAGEN. 


389 


manner  in  which  they  are  depicted  and  grouped.  These  works, 
of  arch^ological  rather  than  artistic  interest,  are  very  inferior  to 
those  which  our  Middle  Ages  produced  at  the  same  period. 


Fig.  196.  — Chancel  Candlestick. 


A  century  later,  the  arts  had  made  sensible  progress.  There 
are  shrines  of  the  twelfth  century,  made  of  metal  or  wood,  and 
adorned  with  enamels  and  wreathed  work,  executed  with  great 
skill.     There  are  also  a  considerable  number  of  other  enamelled 


390 


DENMARK 


articles,  and  among  these  a  chancel  candlestick  (Fig.  196)  of 
copper,  enriched  with  enamels,  the  designs  of  which  are  very 
fine,  and  show  great  freedom  of  execution,  being  formed  of 
scrolls  around  a  central  pattern. 

We  find  here  a  great  number  of  objects  used  in  public  wor- 
ship (thirteenth  century);  some  tolerable  painted  windows, 
statues  and  groups  of  figures,  censers,  pyxes,  and  other  sacred 
vessels ;  also  carved  stalls  and  seats,  in  every  respect  very  infe- 
rior to  our  productions  of  the  same  period. 

There  are  other  curious  objects  of  a  more  recent  date,  —  an- 
cient Scandinavian  calendars,  domestic  utensils,  drinking-liorns 
ornamented  with  copper  and  silver  both  engraved  and  gilt,  arms 
and  ancient  armor,  and  pieces  of  artillery. 


Fig.  197.  —  Terra-cotta  Taper-stand. 


There  are  some  taper- stands  made  of  terra-cotta  (Fig.  197), 
nearly  eight  inches  long  by  seven  in  height,  rudely  representing 
a  castle  defended  by  gates,  w^ith  towers  separated  by  a  gable ;  on 
all  sides  of  these  are  irregular  designs,  applied  before  the  mate- 
rial was  baked.  There  are,  besides  these,  tapestries  of  the  six- 
teenth and  seventeenth  centuries,  an  altar  of  ebony  and  silver, 
clocks,  watches,  nuptial  crowns,  etc. 

We  see,  by  this  too  rapid  survey,  what  riches  are  deposited  in 
the  Museum  of  Korthern  Antiquities  at  Copenhagen ;  it  may 
easily  be  understood  how  many  things  interesting  and  worthy 


COPENHAGEN.  391 


of  attention  we  were  obliged  to  leave  undescribed.  One  ought 
to  be  able  to  devote  a  considerable  time  to  this  museum ;  and 
the  student,  who  has  leisure  to  do  so,  will  not  regret  it,  and  will 
find  there  an  enormous  quantity  of  rare  and  curious  articles. 


THE  ETHNOGRAPHICAL  MUSEUM. 

Another  museum  at  Copenhagen,  the  Ethnographical,  is  less 
learned,  but  as  useful  and  interesting  as  the  museum  of  anti- 
quities. 

It  comprises  a  collection  of  typical  objects,  characteristic  of 
human  civilization  in  every  part  of  the  world ;  and,  in  order  to 
arrive  at  this  result,  it  gives  such  details  as  are  best  suited  to 
illustrate  the  nature  and  the  degree  of  advancement  of  each  form 
of  civilization.  The  most  curious  and  amusing  portions  of  this 
museum  are  those  which  relate  to  Greenland  and  Japan,  coun- 
tries of  which  we  know  very  little,  and  which  consequently 
excite  greater  curiosity. 

Instead  of  rags  hanging  on  the  walls,  and  articles,  lying  side 
by  side,  without  any  link  to  show  the  connection  between  them ; 
in  fact  —  instead  of  objects  dispersed  over  a  large  space  —  the 
Ethnographical  Museum  at  Copenhagen  exhibits,  on  the  con- 
trary, collections  which  attract  and  arrest  the  attention,  and  in 
which  every  one  seeks  immediately  the  points  in  which  he  is 
interested ;  details  which  differ  in  each  individual,  according  to 
his  tastes,  his  tendencies,  and  his  education. 

Thus,  instead  of  furniture,  dresses,  and  utensils  arranged  sep- 
arately and  scattered  here  and  there,  we  find  a  dwelling  of  the 
natural  size,  with  actual  furniture,  and  with  the  masters  of  the 
house  at  home,  and  under  the  circumstances  of  ordinary  life. 

And,  first,  w^e  have  the  habitations  of  the  Greenlanders  — 
huts  built  of  earth  and  moss,  from  13  to  20  feet  in  diameter, 
covered  internally  with  skins  of  animals.  The  entrance  is 
effected  by  a  low  and  narrow  passage,  through  which  it  is 
necessary  to  pass  in  a  creeping  posture ;  at  the  top  of  the  hut 


192  DENMARK. 


is  an  orifice,  which  can  be  opened  in  case  of  need.  Within  is 
a  family,  installed,  as  they  would  be  in  their  snowy  desert ;  two 
men,  three  women,  and  four  children  are  partaking  of  a  meal. 
An  earthen  saucepan  is  on  the  fire,  and  others  are  arranged  in 
a  corner  with  some  dishes  and  lamps;  the  usual  combustibles 
are  wanting,  but  their  place  is  supplied  by  oil,  which  warms  the 
frosty  atmosphere  and  cooks  the  food. 

The  perfumes  which  exhale  from  this  interior,  and  which,  to 
render  the  illusion  more  complete,  have  been  conscientiously 
respected,  will  not  allow  us  to  make  too  long  a  stay.  The  fig- 
ures, of  life-size,  are  dressed  in  skins  of  animals;  some  furs, 
stretched  on  a  low  and  wide  settle,  indicate  what  serves  for  a 
bed.  The  women  are  preparing  the  food,  and  putting  the  sauce- 
pan over  a  lamp  furnished  with  a  wick  made  of  moss,  the  size 
and  length  of  which  are  adjusted  so  as  to  be  suflicient  to  cook 
the  meal ;  and  then  all  lie  down  and  sleep.  When  the  family 
wake,  the  feast  is  ready,  they  eat,  fill  the  pot  again,  place  it 
over  the  lamp,  the  wick  having  been  renewed,  and  then  they 
lie  down  again  and  sleep,  resting  and  eating  alternately.  These 
people  have  no  idea  of  days  or  hours ;  they  make  no  distinction 
of  time  except  between  periods  of  light  and  darkness. 

There  are  also  a  team  of  dogs,  which,  in  that  countr}%  supply 
■  the  place  of  horses ;  sledges  drawn  by  seven  dogs  ready  har- 
nessed ;  one  of  these  animals  serves  as  leader ;  it  is  he  who  ex- 
cites, leads,  and  encourages  the  others ;  his  marvellous  instinct 
guides  him,  and  secures  the  confidence  of  the  travellers. 

Then,  there  are  fishing-dresses  made  of  skins  with  the  fur  on, 
inflated  with  air,  so  as  to  be  buoyant  in  water  in  case  of  acci- 
dent, and  to  avoid  damp,  the  consequences  of  which  are  fatal 
in  these  latitudes.  The  men,  thus  dressed,  look  like  the  figures 
of  gold-beater's  skin,  filled  with  gas,  which  serve  to  amuse  chil- 
dren. There  are  also  huntimr-dresses,  woven  from  the  intestines 
of  the  dog-fish. 

We  next  see  a  Cajak  fishing-boat,  rowed  by  women,  —  twenty 
of  whom  hold  the  oars ;  they  are  not  handsome ;  those  who  wear 


COPENHAGEN.  393 


red  head-dresses  are  married;  the  others  with  green  ones  are 
unmarried ;  those  with  yellow  caps  are  neither  married  nor  vir- 
gins, and  make  no  secret  of  it. 

There  are  some  fishing-implements;  and  as  the  fish  lurk  at 
the  bottom  of  the  sea,  and  often  far  from  shore,  in  order  to  find 
warmer  water,  it  is  necessary,  when  they  wish  to  catch  them, 
to  make  a  hole  in  the  ice,  and  to  let  down  a  net  from  2,300  to 
2,600  feet  in  length.  These  nets  are  made  of  whalebone,  and 
have  great  strength. 

We  notice  also  the  marriage  trousseau  of  a  young  Greenland 
woman  —  a  carpet  of  dog-fish  skin  ornamented  with  minute 
colored  designs,  some  thread  made  of  the  fibres  of  animals,  a 
thimble,  a  little  instrument  used  for  tracing  the  designs  with 
which  the  skins  are  ornamented;  there  are  also  dresses  and 
furs. 

We  pass  over  America,  Africa,  and  Oceania,  which  are  repre- 
sented in  a  manner  less  striking  and  original,  and  contain  but 
little  to  attract  the  attention,  and  we  arrive  at  the  empire  of 
the  rising  sun. 

There  is  a  Yeddo  house,  built  of  fir- wood  and  paper;  the 
principal  supports  are  four  posts,  the  intervals  between  which 
are  formed  of  frames  covered  with  paper.  In  the  daytime  these 
frames  are  removed,  and  the  roof  seems  supported  on  stilts; 
when  night  comes,  they  push  in  the  side  scenes,  and  the  house, 
lighted  within,  resembles  a  gigantic  Venetian  lantern.  Every 
house  of  this  kind  is  inhabited  by  a  single  family.  On  the 
ground-floor  is  a  shop ;  on  the  upper  one  a  sitting-room,  divided, 
at  night,  into  a  certain  number  of  little  rooms  by  means  of  slid- 
ing partitions.  The  furniture  is  very  simple:  a  cupboard  to 
contain  the  mattresses  during  the  daytime ;  a  small  stove  hid- 
den in  a  corner ;  a  series  of  little  tables  slipping  into  each  other ; 
and,  arranged  on  shelves,  a  collection  of  cups  or  dishes  of  lac- 
quered ware.  In  the  middle  of  the  room  are  the  chibot  or 
brasier  (hrazzero),  and  the  tabacco-bou  (tobacco-box);  on  the 
floor  is  a  very  fine,  thin,  and  flexible  mat  made  of  straw,  on 


394  DENMARK 


which  no  one  is  allowed  to  tread  till  he  has  taken  off  his 
shoes. 

The  house  which  we  were  examining  had  the  front  removed, 
so  as  to  allow  us  to  see  a  very  cheerful  scene  within,  —  five  or 
six  persons  together,  squatting  on  their  heels,  drinking  and 
smoking  around  the  teapot.  The  women  are  dressed  in  a  kind 
of  cloak,  confined  at  the  waist  by  a  very  broad  girdle  of  green 
and  yellow  silk,  tied  in  a  large  bow  at  the  back.  Their  lips 
are  gilded ;  their  black  hair,  smoothed  and  waxed,  is  confined 
with  large  pins,  by  which  it  is  built  up  to  an  extraordinary 
height.  You  may  see  at  the  door  the  little  wooden  shoes  in 
Avhich  they  hobble  along  in  the  street,  and  which  they  have 
now  taken  off,  in  order  to  lie  down  on  the  mat.  One  of  the 
men  is  standing,  to  show  his  splendid  costume,  —  an  overcoat 
with  sleeves  of  extravagant  width,  under  which  appear  two 
sabres,  the  insignia  of  his  rank  as  a  Yakonine,  or  officer  of  the 
Daimio,  whose  arms  are  embroidered  in  gaudy  colors  on  his 
back,  and  around  his  neck.  He  wears  a  large  hat  of  a  dark 
crimson  color ;  at  his  waist  is  the  whole  apparatus  of  a  smoker, 
a  pipe  as  small  as  a  thimble,  a  tobacco-box  made  of  paper,  a 
flint  and  steel,  etc.,  etc.  On  his  feet  are  stockings  made  with 
a  special  compartment  for  the  toe,  and  sandals  of  plaited  straw, 
which  he  keeps  on  with  difficulty. 

There  is  a  Norimon,  or  Japanese  cab,  a  vers^  inconvenient  box, 
into  which  the  traveller  squeezes  himself,  with  his  legs  bent 
under  him;  air  is  admitted  by  a  small  opening  in  the  roof, 
similar  to  that  in  the  Hansom  cabs  in  London.  At  each  side 
of  this  box  are  two  poles,  which  are  supported  on  the  shoulders 
of  two  bearers,  very  slightly  clad.  When  they  are  fatigued, 
they  allow  the  norimon  to  rest  on  two  short  poles  witli  which 
they  are  furnished,  so  as  to  avoid  the  trouble  of  lowering  and 
raising  their  burden. 

We  noticed  a  specimen  of  Japanese  paper,  a  kind  of  parch- 
ment, but  thicker,  and  at  the  same  time  more  pliable,  a  tissue 
which  cannot  be  torn,  is  impermeable,  and  whose  uses  are  mani- 


COPENHAGEN.  395 


fold.  They  make  of  it  the  walls  of  houses,  great-coats,  napkins, 
and  umbrellas,  and  it  has  nothing  in  common  with  the  idea 
which  the  word  "paper"  awakens  in  our  minds. 

Japan  detained  us  for  a  long  time;  we  cannot,  however, 
describe  all  that  we  saw,  or  the  many  curious  and  interestino- 
things  that  attracted  our  attention,  such  as  a  Daimio  with  his 
attendants,  and  the  view  of  a  Yankiro,  one  of  the  quarters  of 
Yeddo  or  Yokohama,  where  the  tea-houses  are  situated.  We 
cannot  give  an  idea  of  all  the  costumes,  and  the  attitudes  of 
these  full-sized  dolls  so  splendidly  dressed,  representing  persons 
in  every  social  position  in  Japan.  We  must  not  describe  their 
large  public  buildings  and  immense  temples,  or  relate  the  legend 
of  the  forty-seven  Yakonines  who  disembowelled  themselves  on 
the  tomb  of  their  Daimio,  so  terribly  represented  in  a  series 
of  colored  pictures;  but  we  must  say  a  few  words  about  the 
remarkable  productions  of  industrial  art  in  Japan,  and  examine 
the  furniture,  ivories,  porcelain,  lacquered  ware,  and  bronzes,  of 
which  there  are  so  many  examples  around  us. 

The  oddness  of  these  objects  is  not  their  most  remarkable 
characteristic.  It  is  more  apparent  than  real;  it  strikes  us, 
because  some  of  their  customs  and  ideas  are  so  opposed  to 
ours ;  and  it  suggests  so  great  a  dissimilarity  between  their 
surroundings  and  those  to  which  we  are  accustomed.  We  are 
also  not  always  willing  readily  to  suppose  that  others  can  think 
and  act  in  a  different  manner  from  ourselves ;  but  still  this  dis- 
crepancy between  our  ideas  and  theirs  is  not  necessarily  to  the 
disadvantage  of  the  Japanese,  and,  on  the  contrary,  it  is  some- 
times in  favor  of  their  tastes  and  usages.  After  all,  we  must 
not  judge  of  the  peculiarities  of  the  Japanese  from  the  speci- 
mens displayed  in  European  bazaars,  the  unusual  forms  of 
which  have  been  exaggerated  by  the  manufacturer  in  order  to 
attract  more  strongly  the  attention  of  the  purchaser. 

The  Japanese,  unlike  ourselves,  make  no  distinction  between 
high  art  and  that  which  has  recently  been  called  "  industrial." 
They  look  upon  both  these  branches  of  art  in  the  same  light ; 


396  DENMARK. 

aud  the  artist  who  models  a  vase  of  an  elegant  form,  or  designs 
a  graceful  decoration,  is  considered  to  be  as  truly  an  artist,  and 
to  possess  the  feeling  of  his  art  in  the  same  degn^ee,  as  he  who 
decorates  the  facade  of  a  temple,  or  sculptures  a  statue  in  honor 
of  Buddha. 

The  result  of  this  is  that  articles  in  common  use  are  brought 
to  a  higher  state  of  perfection,  which  astonishes  us,  and  would 
surprise  us  still  more  if  we  knew  that  the  delicate  porcelain  and 
lacquered  dishes,  which  are  used  by  us  only  on  grand  occasions, 
and  are  considered  as  exceptional,  are  employed  in  Japan  for 
the  ordinary  purposes  of  daily  life. 

The  peculiar  characteristics  of  all  these  works,  those  by  which 
they  are  distinguished  from  our  productions  of  the  same  kind, 
are  the  absence  of  symmetry,  the  entire  correspondence  of  form 
with  the  nature  of  the  material  employed,  and  the  method  of 
coloring. 

We  must  not  understand  by  the  absence  of  symmetry  a  dis- 
proportion between  the  various  parts  of  the  same  whole,  or 
imagine  that  we  shall  meet  with  a  bandy-legged  or  maimed 
figure;  we  must  not  confound  harmony  with  s}Tnmetry.  If, 
for  example,  we  place  two  vases  on  our  mantel-shelf,  they  will 
be  exactly  similar,  not  only  in  form,  but  in  decoration.  They 
are  in  reality  the  same  vase,  and  when  we  look  at  them  we 
have  no  double  pleasure  from  this  twofold  possession.  If,  on 
the  contrary,  we  examine  two  Japanese  vases,  we  find  them 
similar  in  their  general  form;  one  is  not  tall  and  the  other 
short  and  wide,  but  still  the  sweep  of  the  outline  is  not  iden- 
tically the  same  in  both,  although  the  difference  between  them 
is  not  sufficient  to  shock  our  taste.  Then  the  decoration  on 
each  is  different,  the  color  of  the  ground  in  one  is  often  that 
of  the  design  in  the  other ;  the  birds  and  flowers  vary  in  their 
tints;  the  figures  are  of  a  different  character;  and  the  scenes 
represented  are  not  the  same.  These  observations  refer  not 
only  to  vases,  but  to  everything,  —  paper-hangings,  lacquered 
boxes,  cups,  plates,  etc.,  etc. 


COPENHAGEN.  397 


The  complete  correspondence  of  form  with  the  nature  of  the 
materials  employed  is  still  more  easily  explained.  We  have 
only  to  compare  the  smooth  and  unvaried  surfaces  of  porcelain, 
which  is  a  material  essentially  fragile,  with  the  irregular  pro- 
jecting surfaces  given  to  bronzes,  the  substance  of  which  is 
extremely  hard.  Ivories  are  carved  in  intaglio,  without  allowing 
any  projection  to  rise  above  the  level  of  the  ornamentation  and 
thus  to  be  exposed  to  injury ;  and,  a  circumstance  which  strik- 
ingly illustrates  our  observations,  the  teacups  have  no  handles, 
and  those  of  the  vases  are  merely  small  thick  hoops,  so  as  to 
give  the  least  possible  chance  of  inevitable  accidents. 

Acrain,  the  manner  in  which  all  these  articles  are  colored 
differs  essentially  from  that  practised  by  ourselves.  The  paint- 
ing is  not  in  relief;  no  transition,  except  that  of  the  harmony 
of  colors,  produces  the  contrast  and  difference  of  the  tints,  and 
yet,  notwithstanding  their  intensity,  this  harmony  is  so  great 
that  they  never  offend  the  eye ;  the  colors  employed  are  always 
definite  and  but  few;  yet,  owing  to  the  variety  of  designs 
employed,  their  number  seems  infinite. 

But  w^e  must  stop,  or  w^e  might  be  accused  of  imitating  those 
travellers  whose  enthusiasm  increases  with  distance ;  and  as  we 
are  already  in  Japan  this  might  carry  us  too  far. 

These  museums  are  not  the  only  ones  to  be  seen  in  Copen- 
hagen. We  may  mention  the  museum  of  antiquities,  that  of 
engravings,  and  the  gallery  of  the  Moltke  Palace.  During  the 
Exhibition  of  1872  a  number  of  pictures  were  collected,  consist- 
ing of  the  modern  works  of  Swedish  and  Danish  artists.  It 
nmst  be  confessed  that  there  was  no  great  artistic  merit  to  rec- 
ommend these  paintings ;  but  they  were  very  interesting  to  a 
foreigner,  since  they  depicted,  almost  exclusively,  scenes  relating 
to  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  daily  life  of  Scandinavian 
society,  and  thus  afforded  a  striking  contrast  to  those  treated  in 
our  annual  exhibitions. 

There  were  many  winter  landscapes ;  a  boundless  horizon,  an 
immense  white  sheet,  enveloped  in  frozen  mist ;  and  there,  lost 


198  DENMARK. 


iu  this  desert,  you  could  just  perceive  a  sledge  drawn  by  rein- 
deer, whose  furious  gallop  threw  up  the  whirling  snow;  this 
dark  point  was  the  only  object  which  told  of  movement  and  of 
life  in  the  midst  of  this  white  immensity.  By  the  side  of  this 
picture  were  to  be  seen,  under  a  serene  sky,  sledges  full  of 
handsome  women,  who  shiver  under  their  furs,  as  they  pass  over 
a  carpet  of  snow  tinged  by  a  pale  ray  of  light ;  others  are  look- 
ing at  a  group  of  skaters  in  bright  costumes,  or  striving  to  catch 
the  harmony  produced  by  a  band  of  musicians,  whose  notes  seem 
to  freeze  in  the  air.  This  picture  is  a  recollection  of  Lapland ; 
it  is  the  Melar,  on  a  festival  occasion,  on  a  hcautifid  cold  day. 

In  contrast  with  these  scenes  is  the  Gustaf-Adolph  Platz  at 
Stockholm  on  a  winter's  night,  when  at  midnight  you  can  still 
distinguish  the  outlines  of  the  ships  outward-bound  for  the 
Baltic.  In  other  pictures  we  see  the  islands  of  the  Archipelago 
of  Aland,  covered  with  trees  whose  verdure  mingles  with  the 
greenish  hue  of  the  water;  or  the  dark  rocks  of  Xorway, 
against  which  some  monstrous  iceberg  is  dashing ;  or,  again,  the 
Djugarten,  filled  with  gay  and  loving  couples  clinging  to  each 
other ;  and,  still  farther  on,  the  portrait  of  a  Dalecarlian  woman 
in  her  picturesque  costume,  or  that  of  some  frail  and  enticing 
coquette.  But,  as  we  have  already  said,  the  interest  of  this  ex- 
hibition was,  unfortunately,  to  be  found  only  in  the  choice  of 
subjects,  and  in  their  novelty,  rather  than  in  the  manner  in 
which  they  were  treated. 


COPENHAGEN.  399 


COPENHAGEN. 
IV. 

THE  DANES.  — THE  THEATRES.  -AMUSEMENTS. 

THE  men  are  of  middle  height,  strong,  and  well  knit ;  they 
have  pronounced  features,  light  hair,  and  blue  eyes. 
Their  gait  is  heavy,  and  is  wanting  in  ease  and  gracefulness. 
They  have  no  elegance  or  distinguished  air.  They  dress  badly ; 
they  scarcely  look  like  gentlemen,  or  else  greatly  exaggerate  our 
fashions.  The  materials  of  their  dress  are  usually  much  coarser 
than  those  which  we  use,  and  they  seem  altogether  ignorant  of 
the  resources  and  refinements  of  the  toilet. 

The  women  have  bright  complexions,  white  teeth,  blue  or  gray 
eyes,  and  long  fair  hair ;  but  they  are  not  graceful,  in  the  Paris- 
ian sense  of  the  word.  They  are  economical  in  their  dress,  and 
we  scarcely  remember  having  seen  ladies  in  silk  dresses  except 
at  the  theatre. 

The  Danes  are  intelligent,  as  you  may  see  by  their  features ; 
if  you  speak  to  them,  you  find  them  polite  and  affable.  Instead 
of  walking  on,  when  a  traveller  stops  them  to  ask  for  any  infor- 
mation in  a  language  which  they  do  not  understand,  they  make 
a  thousand  efforts  to  discover  what  he  wants,  and  to  assist  him. 
They  are  always  hospitable ;  and  even  now,  when  a  customer 
enters  a  shop,  and  it  is  clearly  ascertained  that  he  is  not  a  Ger- 
man, the  tradesmen,  after  a  thousand  friendly  protestations, 
which  are  unfortunately  in  Danish,  and  before  they  show  him 
any  of  their  goods,  offer  him,  on  a  waiter,  a  glass  of  Kirsch  to 


400  DENMARK. 


counteract  the  effects  uf  the  fog.  The  Danes  are  well  informed, 
and  there  is  no  country  in  Europe  where  public  education 
receives  more  attention  than  in  Denmark. 

The  women  are  the  angels  of  the  house ;  they  know  nothing 
but  calm  and  peaceful  home  life.  Their  amusements  in  winter 
are  family  parties,  and  the  theatre,  to  which  they  often  go  with- 
out escort ;  and  in  the  summer  they  take  country  walks. 

The  young  people  marry  early,  and  are  engaged  beforehand. 
The  fiances  enjoy  privileges  which  might  cause  inconvenience 
among  other  people,  —  ourselves,  for  example,  —  but  which  are 
harmless  among  the  Danes,  who  are  calmer  and  less  impression- 
able. It  is  very  unusual  for  those  who  are  contracted  to  each 
other  to  break  their  engagement,  for  the  blame  which  they  would 
both  incur  is  sufficient  to  prevent  their  taking  such  a  step. 

Their  out-door  pleasures  possess  but  little  variety,  and  l3ois- 
terous  amusements  are  unknown ;  their  family  and  friendly 
meetings  are  not  prolonged  to  a  late  hour.  The  theatres  are 
closed  at  nine  o'clock,  the  lights  extinguished,  the  streets  de- 
serted, the  taverns  empty,  and  every  one  is  snugly  ensconced 
under  the  bedclothes. 

The  manners  of  Copenhagen  have  not  always  been  so  simple 
and  exemplary.  The  examples  of  the  court  of  Louis  XV.  of 
France  were  regarded  at  one  time  with  great  favor.  We  shall 
presently  see  what  traces  of  this  epoch  have  been  left,  in  cer- 
tain quarters,  in  the  dwellings  constructed  in  the  eighteenth 
century. 

Statistics  prove  that  suicide  is  more  prevalent  in  Denmark 
than  in  any  other  country  in  Europe.  The  cause  of  the  devel- 
opment of  this  mental  malady  is  unknown,  but  it  is  a  proof  of 
the  love  of  the  Danes  for  the  family  and  for  domestic  life,  that 
this  madness  prevails  especially  among  the  unmarried  and  wid- 
ows ;  and  it  is  by  no  means  unusual  for  a  woman  to  hang  her- 
self when  she  is  placed  in  one  of  these  positions. 

By  a  contrast,  whicli  is  difficult  to  explain,  Brigham  Young 
still  gains  the  gi^eatest  number  of  Mormon  recruits  among  the 


COPENHAGEN.  401 


Danes,  and  a  new  Cojjenhagen  is  now  rising  near  Salt  Lake 
City. 

Education  is  very  general  in  Denmark ;  it  is  obligatory,  and 
the  father  of  a  family  must  send  his  children  to  school,  under 
penalty  of  a  fine.  The  students  at  the  university  are  numerous, 
but  so  great  a  proportion  of  them  study  theology,  that  it  is  im- 
possible to  find  positions  for  all  who  seek  for  them;  so  that, 
while  Avaiting  for  a  cure,  future  pastors  sometimes  exercise  a 
profession  whose  functions  seem  but  little  compatible  with  those 
w^hich  they  hope  hereafter  to  fulfil.  All  the  students  of  a  col- 
lege unite  in  a  club,  where  they  find  every  opportunity  for  study 
and  amusement :  a  library,  a  theatre,  concert-rooms,  and  a  tav- 
ern, which  are  always  open  to  them  ;  they  eat  and  drink  there, 
and  more  especially  smoke  incessantly.  The  large  dining-room 
is  always  filled,  and  between  two  lectures  or  repetitions  there  is 
a  great  consumption  of  rog-brod  and  of  bocks  of  Bavarian  beer. 
Those  who  frequent  it  are  concealed  by  clouds  of  smoke  issuing 
from  large  pipes  which  are  never  allowed  to  go  out. 

The  love  of  their  country  is  strongly  developed  in  all  classes 
of  society,  and  their  hatred  of  Germany,  far  from  being  extin- 
guished, increases  every  day.  To  call  a  Dane  a  Prussian  —  a 
Berlin  Prussian  —  is  the  greatest  insult  that  you  can  offer  to 
him. 

One  day  we  went  into  a  stationer's  shop  to  buy  a  small  sheet 
of  drawing-board.  While  we  pointed  out  to  the  shopkeeper  the 
article  that  we  wanted,  as  we  knew  not  how  to  ask  for  it,  he 
grumbled  in  a  low  voice,  murmuring  incessantly  between  his 
teeth  certain  words  which  we  could  not  fail  to  understand  as 
expressions  of  ill-humor.  At  last,  wishing  to  eke  out  the  dumb 
show  which  we  found  so  ineffectual,  we  uttered  a  few  words  in 
French.  The  expression  of  his  face  instantly  changed.  "Not 
Prussian,  French  1"^  he  exclaimed,  and,  jumping  over  the  coun- 
ter, he  seized  our  hands,  opened  the  door  of  the  back  shop,  and 

1  AVe  cannot  give,  the  exact  Danish  expressions  corresponding  with  these 
words,  as  we  are  not  able  to  depend  on  our  memory. 


402  DENMARK 


called  out  liis  wife  and  children,  crying  out,  "  French :  French ! 
Paris  ! "  AVe  Avere  obliged  to  shake  hands  with  them  all,  to  kiss 
the  children,  to  drink  a  glass  of  Kirsch  to  the  health  of  France 
and  to  the  confusion  of  Prussia ;  and  at  the  close  of  the  inter- 
view the  stationer,  seizing  a  hank  of  string,  wound  it  round  his 
neck,  imitating  the  position  of  a  man  who  was  hanged,  putting 
out  his  tongue  like  one  at  the  last  extremity,  and  cr}dng,  "  For 
the  Prussians,  for  all  the  Prussians  1 " 

Compared  with  the  Germans,  the  Danes  are  gay  and  excit- 
able. In  the  Xorth,  they  have  the  reputation  of  resembling  the 
French.  It  is  from  Denmark  that  they  procure  recruits  for  the 
theatrical  companies  of  Stockholm  and  Christiania,  and  the 
performers  at  the  cafe  concerts,  so  common  in  Scandinavian 
towns. 

There  are  but  few  manufactures  in  Denmark,  their  produc- 
tions being  almost  exclusively  agricultural;  but  glove-making 
has  increased  lately.  The  Danish  gloves  are  supple,  strong,  and 
well  sewn ;  they  may  even  be  washed,  but  they  are  very  dear. 
Commerce  carried  on  by  sea  is  in  a  very  flourishing  state. 
Every  one  gains  his  living  modestly  by  continued  and  incessant 
labor,  in  which  there  is  nothing  exaggerated.  Our  feverish  am- 
bition is  unknown,  and  no  one  desires  or  seeks  to  increase  his 
store  immoderately,  or  to  make  a  rapid  fortune  at  the  expense 
of  his  neighbor.  The  Dane  is  excessively  honest,  loyal,  and 
trustworthy,  and  robbery  is  almost  unknown  in  the  country. 
The  shops  and  warehouses  do  not  require  to  be  protected  by 
shutters  of  wood  or  iron;  and  the  goods  are  exposed  within 
reach  of  the  hands  without  its  being  thought  necessary  to  watch 
over  them.  Great  fortunes  are  as  rare  as  excessive  poverty.  It 
is  true  that  at  Copenhagen  few  people  keep  their  carriage ;  but, 
on  the  contrary,  you  never  meet  a  beggar. 

AVe  spoke  of  the  cookery  during  our  stay  in  Fun  en ;  it  is  sim- 
ilar in  the  other  provinces,  and  is  not  always  satisfactory  to  a 
French  taste ;  but  the  hotels  and  restaurants,  when  you  can 
make  vourself  understood,  are  very  excellent  and  exceedingly 


COPENHAGEN.  40: 


cheap.  You  get  the  same  dishes  as  elsewhere,  and  you  drink 
exquisite  tea  and  good  beer;  but  the  wines,  on  the  contrary, 
especially  those  from  France,  are  shamefully  adulterated,  and 
are  execrable. 

Danish  literature  is  known  to  us  only  by  certain  translations 
of  novels,  the  naivcM  and  simplicity  of  w^hich  form  their  greatest 
charm.  Hans  Andersen  is  known  throughout  the  w^hole  w^orld 
by  his  popular  tales,  full  of  such  acute  observations  and  pro- 
found views,  under  a  guise  so  simple  and  familiar.  The  the- 
atrical repertory  is  composed  of  pieces  written  by  native  authors, 
which  are  few  in  number,  and,  as  ought  to  be  the  case,  of  trans- 
lations of  our  French  literature. 

This  evening  we  are  going  to  the  theatre.  It  is  five  o'clock ; 
we  hasten  in  order  to  be  there  when  the  doors  are  opened.  The 
price  of  seats  is  very  moderate.  They  are  going  to  give  a 
translation  or  adaptation  of  Octave  Feuillet's  "Eomance  of 
a  Poor  Young  Man";  so  we  shall  be  able,  by  our  remem- 
brance of  it,  to  guess,  if  we  cannot  comprehend,  something 
of  the  dialogue,  and  see  what  impression  is  made  on  the  spec- 
tators. 

The  house  is  very  large,  but  very  simply  decorated.  There 
are  two  tiers  of  open  boxes,  a  gallery,  some  orchestral  stalls,  and 
at  the  bottom  a  large  pit.  The  seats  are  not  comfortable,  they 
are  rapidly  filled,  and  not  one  is  left  empty.  There  are  many 
children  there  who  evidently  could  not  be  left  at  home  alone. 
The  spectators  belong  to  all  classes ;  the  women  are  predomi- 
nant, forming  at  least  two  thirds  of  the  assembly.  Their  dress 
is  very  simple ;  they  are  all,  w^ith  few  exceptions,  in  woollen 
dresses  or  white  muslin.  They  come  wa^apped  up  in  large 
Avaterproofs,  in  groups  of  tw^o  or  three,  sometimes  accompanied 
by  a  gentleman,  but  more  frequently  alone.  'Eo  one,  however, 
is  astonished  at  this;  it  is  a  recognized  thing,  and,  however 
young  and  pretty  a  woman  may  be,  she  may  come  to  the  theatre, 
remain  there,  and  go  away  unattended,  without  any  risk  of 
enraging  a  jealous  husband,  or  of  being  exposed  to  the  annoy- 


404  DENMARK 


ing  attentions  of  a  too  gallant  admirer.  In  the  pit  many  per- 
sons place  provisions  by  their  side  on  the  seats,  even  solid 
provisions,  a  bottle  of  beer,  and  slices  of  rog-brod. 

After  some  kind  of  overture  the  curtain  rises,  and  at  the 
same  time  the  chandelier  is  entirely  lowered,  so  that  the  house 
is  left  in  complete  darkness.  The  spectators  have  nothing  to 
distract  their  attention,  and  must  therefore,  whether  they  will 
or  no,  look  at  the  stage,  which  is  very  brilliantly  lighted.  The 
actors  are  pretentious,  the  actresses  pretty,  and  their  costumes 
very  rich  and  elegant.  The  performers  seem  to  speak  too  rap- 
idly, but  this  is  always  the  impression  produced  on  the  ear  by 
a  dialogue  uttered  in  an  unknown  language.  The  action  of  the 
men  is  monotonous  and  rapid,  that  of  the  women  more  correct 
and  moderate ;  that  which  we  call  stage  business  is  exaggerated 
and  false.  Two  innovations  were  introduced  into  the  piece ; 
the  first  was  to  substitute  for  the  hal  chamj^etre,  in  the  second 
act,  a  very  outrageous  cancan,  in  which  all  the  company  took 
part  in  the  most  serious  manner;  they  called  it  the  national 
French  dance,  accompanied  by  appropriate  songs.  There  is  no 
doubt  tliat  all  these  good  Danes  are  fully  convinced  that  our 
men  and  ladies  of  high  rank  are  in  the  habit  of  indulging  in 
these  fantastic  exhibitions  of  themselves.  The  second  novelty 
consisted  in  bringing  all  the  actors  in  front  of  the  footlights, 
after  each  important  scene,  to  chant  a  chorus,  which  was  unin- 
telligible to  us,  but  which  seemed  to  connect  the  various  parts 
of  the  piece  together ;  it  reminded  us  of  the  ancient  choruses. 

The  darkness  did  not  allow  us  to  ascertain  the  effect  produced 
upon  the  spectators,  except  by  their  applause,  which  occurred 
in  the  riglit  place,  and  proved  that  a  great  impression  had  been 
made.  The  good  feeling  of  the  j^ortiere  was  much  applauded, 
and  the  manifestations  of  the  evil  disposition  of  Mademoiselle 
Helion  were  received  with  prolonged  hisses.  After  the  scene 
in  the  tower,  the  actor  who  took  the  part  of  Maxime  returned 
in  a  black  coat  to  bow  to  the  assembly,  and  assure  them  of  his 
safety.     The  principal  actor,  indeed,  always  wears  this  dress- 


COPENHAGEN.  405 


coat,  wliich  seems  to  be  the  privilege  of  his  part,  as  the  Italian 
tenors  "di  primo  cartello "  are  allowed  to  come  on  the  stao-e 
with  cloaks  over  their  shoulders. 

Between  each  act  the  gas  is  turned  up,  and  all  the  spectators, 
both  male  and  female,  rush  out  at  all  the  doors,  invade  the 
buffets,  and  return  at  the  first  sound  of  the  bell  with  their 
hands  and  mouths  full. 

All  was.  over  by  nine  o'clock,  and  we  returned  to  our  hotel, 
with  our  overcoats  buttoned  to  the  chin,  and  shivering  as  we 
listened  to  the  flapping  of  the  flag  on  the  Christianborg  under 
the  influence  of  the  keen  north-wind. 

A  new  theatre  is  to  be  built  at  Copenhagen ;  the  only  infor- 
mation that  we  could  obtain  respecting  it  was  that  the  expense 
w^ould  amount  to  nearly  600  rix-dollars,  about  40,000  /.  This 
will  be  called  the  Theatre  Eoyal,  which  will  give  to  the  artists 
the  privilege  of  being  appointed  by  the  king,  engaged  for  life, 
and  considered  as  state  functionaries.  The  first  stone  of  this 
building  has  been  laid,  but  when  will  they  lay  the  last  ? 

The  next  day  was  fine ;  so,  instead  of  going  again  to  the  thea- 
tre, we  went  to  the  Tivoli.  The  Tivoli  is  a  place  of  amusement 
very  similar  to  the  Djugarten  at  Stockholm,  though  of  much 
less  importance ;  w^e  have  nothing  of  the  same  character.  All 
the  inhabitants  of  Copenhagen  congregate  there,  especially  dur- 
ing the  long  summer  evenings,  wliich,  in  fact,  are  not  evenings, 
as  it  is  broad  daylight. 

"We  see  at  the  Tivoli,  boat-houses,  cafe  concerts,  theatrical 
performances  in  the  open  air,  balls,  restaurants,  games,  and 
amusements  of  every  kind.  The  crowd  of  people  is  very 
great,  and  composed  of  all  classes;  but,  whatever  may  be 
said  on  the  subject,  it  is  not  likely  that  mothers  would  take 
their  young  daughters  there ;  and  they  are  quite  in  the  right. 

The  good  people  who  are  there  go  for  the  purpose  of  amusing 
themselves,  and  they  attain  their  end  conscientiously ;  Avithout 
constraint,  without  scruple,  and  entirely  at  their  ease.  "We 
remember  especially  a  fat  young  fellow  with  a  merry  face,  — 


406  DENMAEK, 


a  student,  no  doubt ;  he  kept  on  waltzing  for  a  long  time  quietly 
and  peaceably,  then  on  a  sudden  he  sat  down  to  a  table  with 
his  partner  on  his  knee,  devoured  rog-brod  and  drank  beer,  be- 
tween every  two  mouthfuls  kissing  his  companion,  who  w^as  as 
hungry  as  himself,  and  then  both  returned  to  the  dance,  coming 
back  to  eat  again  shortly  afterwards ;  and  this  w^as  done  with 
an  eagerness  and  a  regularity  with  w^hich  nothing  could  interfere. 
Close  by  was  a  person  in  authority,  a  sort  of  a  "  Prud'homme," 
in  a  long  blue  coat ;  awkward,  but  smiling,  he  swam  round  with 
a  satisfied  air,  uttering?  from  time  to  time  a  sonorous  laugh,  a 
kind  of  clucking,  much  to  the  admiration  of  his  partner,  —  a 
pretty  girl,  who,  with  her  hand  resting  on  his  shoulder,  looked 
at  him  beatifically,  throwing  round  his  neck  her  bare,  round, 
white  arms.  And  so  with  all  the  rest;  and  then,  to  com- 
plete the  picture,  some  German  couples  with  spectacles  on  and 
faded  hair,  looking  ridiculously  pretentious,  and  all  outrageously 
ugly. 

What  a  difference  between  these  silly  and  somewhat  coarse 
amusements  and  the  popular  fetes  of  Provence  and  the  Bay  of 
Naples ! 

There  the  sky  is  deep  blue,  intensely  blue,  and  transparent ; 
the  sea  is  blue  also,  but  of  a  paler  tint.  It  is  crowned  with 
wavelets  tipped  with  white  foam;  sometimes  it  sinks  into  a 
hollow,  and  utters  a  deep  sigh,  which  dies  away  on  the  shore. 
Everywhere,  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach,  in  the  sky  and  over 
the  sea,  are  the  same  calm  and  the  same  color,  broken  only,  at 
the  edge  of  the  horizon,  by  Ischia  and  Capri,  enveloped  in  a 
slight  mist.  The  intense  lis^ht  of  the  sun  filters  throuqh  the 
branches  of  the  orange-trees  which  perfume  the  air,  and  scatters 
over  the  ground  minute  luminous  spots,  on  which  the  lazy  liz- 
ards come  and  warm  themselves. 

But,  as  the  sun  goes  down,  the  evening  breeze,  so  anxiously 
longed  for  all  day, -begins  to  come  in  from  the  sea;  the  fishing- 
boats  are  drawm  up,  and  the  fishermen  rest.  Then  come  in, 
from  the  country,  the  peasants  and  the  young  girls  with  their 


COPENHAGEN.  407 


bright  eyes,  and  petticoats  glistening  with  copper  ornaments 
and  sea-shells.  An  improvisator  mounts  on  a  platform,  guitar 
in  hand ;  a  circle  forms  around  him,  and  his  song  commences, 
and  with  it  the  gay  and  loud  laughter  of  the  crowd.  How  well 
they  all  seize  and  understand  his  allusions^  and  the  various 
points  of  the  recital !  How  pleased  they  are  with  trifles  !  how 
satisfied  with  their  rags  and  their  naked  legs,  even  with  the 
vermin  which  devour  them !  and  how  readily  they  encourage 
and  applaud  him !  But  they  needs  must  sup ;  so  the  songs 
cease,  and,  stretched  on  the  sands  still  warm  with  the  heat  of 
the  day,  they  try  their  beautiful  teeth  on  tomatoes,  and  fruits 
that  grow  by  the  sea,  quenching  their  thirst  with  a  glass  of 
water  iced  and  flavored  with  anise-seed.  Soon  after,  the  dance 
begins ;  the  groups  form,  and  pass  through  long  slow  rhythmic 
movements,  to  a  melodious  and  well-marked  air.  What  poses, 
what  attitudes,  these  men  of  the  people  fall  into,  without  being 
aware  of  it !  with  their  waistcoats  turned  back  over  the  shoul- 
der, their  long  red  caps  hanging  down,  their  shirts  thrown  back 
from  their  bronzed  breasts.  Their  feet  beat  the  ground  with 
a  strength  and  agility  which  scorn  fatigue,  while,  with  one  arm, 
they  support  their  strong  and  active  partners.  And  these 
women !  how  noble  and  elegant  is  their  step,  what  simple  grace 
is  in  their  every  movement ;  how  voluptuously  they  bend,  show- 
ing the  roundness  of  their  forms  beneath  their  coarse  dress,  and 
throwing  back  the  tresses  of  their  long  black  hair !  What  eager- 
ness, what  gayety,  Avhat  shouts  of  laughter,  and  what  noise ! 

Close  by  are  the  morra-players.^  lighted  by  a  smoking  lamp 
with  three  burners,  of  antique  form.  What  rapid  movements 
of  arms  and  shoulders !  what  groups  are  formed  around  them ! 
w^hat  shouts  are  heard,  and  how  excited  they  become!  The 
handle  of  the  knife  is  sometimes  drawn  from  the  right-hand 

1  The  morra  is  a  game  played  by  tv\'o  persons,  each  holding  up  the  fingers  of 
one  hand,  some  being  closed  and  the  others  open.  Each  player  calls  out  a  certain 
number,  and  if  this  is  equal  to  the  extended  fingers  of  both  persons,  he  scores  a 
point.  —  Tk. 


408  DENMARK. 


pocket,  but  their  anger  cools  as  rapidly  as  it  breaks  out; 
friendly  words  succeed  to  angry  speeches,  and  soon —  But 
a  breeze  springs  up  from  the  north.  "We  are  not  on  the  shores 
of  the  Mediterranean,  but  on  those  of  the  Sound.  Xo  one  seems 
to  notice  the  cold,  but  we  shiver  and  go  home  as  quickly  as 
we  can. 


COPENHAGEN.  409 


COPENHAGEN, 
y. 

THE  DWELLING-HOUSES. 

WE  may  easily  guess,  from  what  we  have  said  of  the  calm 
and  peaceful  manners  of  the  inhabitants  of  Copenhagen, 
of  their  retired  life,  and  calm  and  tranquil  existence,  what  their 
houses  must  be.  How  little  they  must  resemble  those  of  other 
countries,  and  how^,  on  the  contrary,  they  must  possess  many 
peculiarities  which  our  visit  and  the  examination  which  we  are 
about  to  make  will  render  apparent. 

There  are  many  lodging-houses  in  the  old  city.  The  fortifi- 
cations prevented  the  extension  of  the  streets,  and  it  was  neces- 
sary to  economize  space.  The  houses  have  now,  for  the  most 
part,  lost  the  primitive  character  which  they  had  when  they 
were  first  built,  and  which  they  owed,  more  especially,  to  the 
quaintness  of  their  gables.  The  tradition  of  these  extravagant 
gables,  of  which  we  have  already  given  an  example  when  de- 
scribing the  Kongens  Nytorv  (Fig.  170),  has  not  died  away,  and 
certain  proprietors  still  wish  to  reproduce  them  on  the  houses 
which  they  are  now  building.  The  modern  gables  (Fig.  198) 
are,  however,  less  unreasonable  than  those  of  the  last  century. 
They  seem  to  be  subject  to  some  conventional  rule,  and  are 
divided  into  irregular  compartments,  separated  by  white  bands 
which  are  thrown  into  relief  by  the  red  background  of  tlie 
bricks.  The  effect  is  always  exaggerated;  but  under  a  sky 
which  is  so  often  gray,  and,  for  months  together,  obscured  by 


410 


DENMARK. 


thick  mists,  the  more  simple  results,  which  would  satisfy  us, 
are  evidently  insufficient. 

They  might,  however,  have  recourse  to  less  exaggerated  plans  ; 
and  the  remains  of  ancient  gables,  now  half  demolished,  give 
proof  of  this.  We  give  an  example  in  Fig.  199,  now  in  a  very 
incomplete  state,  but  easy  to  be  understood.     The  two  sloping 


rajujs^j:7^^yc^ 


Fig.  198.  — Modem  Gable. 


sides  of  the  gable  are  very  decided,  and,  except  the  central  part, 
which  is  terminated  by  a  square  projection,  follow  wholly  the 
lines  of  the  roof.  Perpendicular  lines  on  the  facades  indicate 
the  main  and  party  walls;  other  bands,  running  parallel  to 
these,  strike  the  eye  as  they  run  upwards  through  all  the  sto- 


COPENHAGEN. 


411 


ries,  and  are  connected  by  oblique  bands  with  the  sloping  sides 
of  the  roof. 

The  elevations  show  no  great  complication  in  their  details. 
There  are  a  few  pieces  of  stone,  and  bricks  of  different  colors 
to  distinguish  the  projecting  from  the  recessed  parts;  and  the 
lintels,  protected  by  relieving  arches,  sufficiently  point  out  the 
mode  of  construction,  and  ornament  it  at  the  same  time.     The 


10  Mti 


>0i2       »        G        8 
Fig.  199,  —Elevation  of  a  Lodging-house. 


shops  are  distinguished  by  large  bays.  At  the  top  of  the  gables 
is  a  pole,  serving  to  raise  or  lower,  to  and  from  the  upper  stories, 
heavy  and  cumbrous  packages.  Cellars  are  not  in  use  m  Copen- 
hagen;   the   soil,  too   damp   and  permeable,  and  too  slightly 


412 


DENMARK. 


raised  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  renders  them  quite  insalu- 
brious. 

The  basement  story,  which  is  reached  by  means  of  steps  in 
the  area,  is  usually  occupied  by  tavern-keepers  and  dealers  in 


Fig.  200.— Plan  of  the  Grotmd-floor. 

1.  Entrance. 

2.  Area. 

3.  Hall. 

4.  Shops. 

5.  Back  shops. 

6.  Sitting-rooms. 


75 'i5^ff> 

Fig.  201.  —  Plan  of  First  Floor. 

7.  Kitchens. 

8.  Bedrooms. 

9.  Dining-rooms. 

10.  Smaller     " 

11.  Courtyard. 

12.  Closets. 


eatables.  A  large  room  for  the  shop,  another  for  the  back  shop, 
and  three  or  four  rooms  at  the  back,  form  the  fflmost  invariable 
distribution  of  this  lowest  story.     On  the  ground-floor  (Fig.  200) 


COPENHAGEN.  413 


is  a  large  passage ;  then  a  hall,  at  the  end  of  which  is  the  stair- 
case leading  to  the  various  floors.  The  ascent  from  the  street 
is  by  a  flight  of  steps,  a  portion  of  which  is  within  the  house. 
The  shops,  placed  to  the  right  and  left  of  this  hall,  have  no 
direct  opening  to  the  street ;  behind  each  are  a  second  or  back 
shop,  and  a  kitchen  and  sitting-room  placed  in  each  wing.  Be- 
tween the  two  wings  is  a  courtyard  of  moderate  size,  at  the  end 
of  which  are  closets.  Each  inhabitant  has  his  own,  situated  not 
on  the  floor  on  which  he  lives,  but  in  the  courtyard ;  and  you 
may  perceive  from  the  street  a  row  of  little  buildings  of  wood 
or  brick,  the  doors  of  which  are  opening  and  shutting  at  all 
hours  of  the  day  or  night.  As  the  houses  are  rather  lofty,  it 
may  be  easily  understood  how  much  trouble  and  annoyance 
such  a  custom,  which  nobody  seeks  to  infringe,  must  entail  on 
those  who  live  on  the  upper  floors  of  a  house;  but,  as  it  has 
always  been  so,  no  one  thinks  of  adopting  a  better  plan. 

Each  of  the  upper  stories  (Fig.  201)  comprises  two  sets  of 
lodgings ;  a  large  apartment  fronting  the  street,  and  behind  this, 
receiving  light  from  the  courtyard,  the  sitting-room  and  the 
kitchen,  with  sometimes  a  bedroom  for  children  or  servants. 
These  apartments  are  intended  for  persons  of  the  middle  class. 
There  is  no  drawing-room.  The  dining-room  serves  as  a  family 
sitting-room,  and  as  a  place  where  the  meals  are  taken.  The 
principal  bedroom  is  lofty,  being  at  least  13  feet  high.  Tlie 
floor  is  of  deal ;  there  is  a  wainscoting  of  deal  up  to  a  certain 
height  The  ceilings  are  either  bare  or  plastered;  the  paper- 
hangings  are  simple,  not  to  say  common.  There  is  no  gildiug 
or  pie-criist  decoration,  so  common  in  France,  but  instead  of 
this  they  use  varnished  wood.  There  is  no  chimney,  but  large 
earthenware  stoves,  heated  with  turf,  the  only  combustible  in 
common  use  in  Denmark.  There  is  another  remarkable  domes- 
tic arrangement;  instead  of  beds  proportioned  to  the  age  and 
size  of  the  children,  which  become  useless  in  succession  as  years 
pass  on,  we  find  beds  which  grow  at  the  same  time  as  those  for 
whom  they  are  intended.     Side-pieces,  fastened  by  hooks,  keep 


414  DEXMARK. 


the  whole  together,  aud  lengthen  or  shorten  them ;  small  mat- 
tresses are  fitted  in  by  the  side  of  each  other,  or  placed  one  on 
another  as  they  may  be  required.  The  bed  of  a  child  may  thus 
be  adapted  to  a  grown-up  jjerson,  and  vice  versa. 

The  furniture  resembles  very  much  that  to  be  found  in  our 
provincial  towns  thirty  or  forty  years  ago.  Instead  of  chimney- 
pieces  there  are  consoles,  on  which  are  usually  displayed  vases 
with  artificial  flowers  covered  with  a  glass  shade,  and  sometimes 
a  zinc  timepiece  of  Parisian  manufacture.  There  are  no  luxu- 
rious appliances,  no  great  elegances  or  refinements  for  the  sake 
of  comfort,  but  an  excessive  neatness,  and  almost  always  natural 
flowers  or  green  branches. 

The  windows  have  double  sashes,  the  frames  being  of  wood ; 
and  these  do  not  open  all  together,  with  sash-fasteners  {espayno- 
lettcs),  but  in  small  compartments  of  scarcely  sufiicient  size 
to  allow  the  head  to  pass  through.  Between  these  two  sashes 
flowers  are  placed,  with  a  thick  layer  of  fine  sand,  and  paper 
cornets  filled  with  salt  to  absorb  the  damp  vapor,  which  would 
otherwise  cover  and  obscure  the  panes  of  glass ;  and  oftentimes 
we  may  see  there  the  profile  of  some  fair  young  girl,  with  eyes 
fixed  on  the  distance,  and  her  mind  still  farther  away. 

We  had  to  present  a  letter  of  introduction  to  some  one  who 
resided  in  one  of  the  avenues  of  Frederiksborg.  ^Ye  soon  found 
the  house  to  which  we  had  been  directed,  —  a  charming  place, 
surrounded  by  clumps  of  rose-bushes.  Instead  of  an  enclosure 
of  walls,  there  were  railings  covered  with  climbing  plants. 
Through  a  small  open  garden  we  could  see  the  entrance  door, 
and  the  facades  of  red  and  white  bricks,  with  some  parts  filled 
in  with  granite.  The  window-panes  were  bright  and  glistening ; 
green  creepers  were  clinging  to  the  corners,  and  hanging  down 
without  restraint.  The  whole  aspect  was  so  gay  and  cheerful, 
that  the  passer-by  would  be  tempted  to  push  open  the  door 
and  enter. 

We  present  ourselves ;  a  servant-girl,  with  a  roguish  look 
about   the   mouth,  came   to   open   the   door   to   us.     She   had 


COPEXHAGEX 


41i 


scarcely  heard  a  few  words  of  our  language,  when  she  ran  ofl", 
with  her  hands  resting  on  her  hips,  and  shoutino-  with  lauohter! 


Fig.  202.  —  Ground-plan  of  Private  Residence. 


'  •  ■• ) h- 


'8        w       i^        V4  M' 
Fig.  203.  —  Plan  of  First  Floor. 


1.  Porch. 

2.  Hall. 

3.  Drawing-room. 

4.  Passage. 

5.  Kitchen. 


6.  Private  room. 

7.  Covered  gallery. 

8.  Bedrooms. 

9.  Sitting-room. 
10.  Closets. 


She  returned,  in  a  few  moments,  with  a  fellow-servant,  who 
joined  in  her  mirth;  and  there  stood  the  two  silly  women, 


416  DENMARK. 


pointiug  at  us  with  their  fingers,  and  exchanging  merry  re- 
marks, of  which  we  were  evidently  the  subject,  thus  placing 
us  in  a  somewhat  undignified  position.  We  were,  indeed,  look- 
ing rather  foolish,  not  knowing  whether  to  laugh  or  to  be  angry, 
when  the  master  of  the  house  appeared,  and  soon  found,  from 
the  explanations  of  the  servants  and  the  letter  which  we  pre- 
sented, how  matters  stood. 

The  next  instant  we  were  in  the  drawing-room.  Our  host, 
who  had  some  difiiculty  in  expressing  himself  in  French,  re- 
ceived us  in  the  most  jjolite  and  cordial  manner,  and  begged 
us  to  consider  the  reception  of  which  we  had  been  victims,  as 
a  matter  of  course,  justified  by  our  strange  Icuiguage.  He  intro- 
duced us  to  his  family,  insisted  on  our  sitting  down  to  table 
with  them,  and  then  offered  us  every  facility  to  carry  out  the 
object  of  our  visit,  which  was  to  see  his  house.  He  served  as 
our  guide,  and,  as  we  jjroceeded,  made  observations  more  adapted 
to  give  us  an  idea  of  the  habitation  which  he  had  planned  in 
his  own  mind,  rather  than  that  which  the  builder  had  realized. 

The  small  porch,  which  we  have  already  mentioned,  leads 
into  a  hall  communicating  with  all  the  rooms  (Figs.  202  and 
203),  similar  to  that  in  English  houses,  occupying  the  height 
of  two  stories,  with  a  gallery  on  the  first  floor.  From  this  hall 
we  enter  the  drawing-room,  a  large  apartment  used  as  a  family 
room,  receiving  light  on  one  side  from  the  front  avenue,  and, 
on  the  other,  from  the  garden.  In  one  of  the  sides  there  is 
a  projecting  bay  with  a  fireplace ;  this  forms  a  smaller  room 
within  the  larger  one,  and  in  winter,  during  severe  weather, 
thick  leather  hangings  close  the  entrance,  protecting  it  from 
the  draught  which  rushes  towards  the  fire.  The  furniture  and 
decoration  of  this  room  partake  of  that  of  a  dining  and  drawing 
room.  The  walls  are  painted,  the  ceilings  show  the  fir-wood 
beams,  left  exposed,  and  adorned  with  stripes  of  color. 

On  the  first  floor  (Fig.  204)  a  bedchamber  is  over  this  draw- 
inor-room,  havinof  the  same  form  and  dimensions,  and  decorated 
in  the  same  style.     A  large  square  bed,  raised  high  above  the 


COPENHAGEN. 


417 


floor,  occupies  a  part  of  the  room.  At  the  end  of  the  projectiiK^ 
bay  stands  the  traditional  chest,  always  to  be  found  in  old  pro- 
vincial Scandinavian  mansions.  In  this  chest  are  kept  the 
family  treasures,  the  old  jewels,  the  bridal  crown,  the  mother's 
wedding-dress,  and  the  infant's  baptismal  robe,  —  precious  relics 
which  go  down  from  generation  to  generation,  and  are  never 


.■£.   TQMXiZuJt/sliriC 


Fig.  204.  —  Interior  of  two  Rooms. 


brought  out  except  on  grand  family  occasions.  But  they  are 
now,  alas!  already  despised  by  the  young  people,  who  prefer 
dresses  made  in  the  Parisian  or  London  fashion. 

On  the  other  side  of  the  hall,  on  the  ground-floor,  are  the 
staircase,  the  kitchen,  with  its  offices,  and  a  bedroom.  On  the 
first  floor  there  are  secondary  bedrooms.  On  the  garden  side 
a  veranda  is  built  out,  a  useful  shelter  during  the  summer,  for 


418 


DENMARK. 


we  must  not  forget  that,  though  the  northern  climates  are  rigor- 
ous during  the  long  months  of  winter,  the  inhabitants  are  ex- 
posed, during  the  summer,  to  some  days  of  intolerable  heat. 


Fig.  205.  —  External  View. 


The  faqades  of  this  house  (Fig.  205)  are  bold  and  decided ; 
the  lines  of  the  building,  carried  round  in  a  regular  and  distinct 


COPENHAGEN.  419 


manner,  give  a  clew  to  the  scale  of  the  whole ;  no  cement  con- 
ceals the  nature  of  the  materials  or  the  manner  in  which  they 
are  employed. 

Under  a  Northern  climate,  more  than  anywhere  else,  outer 
coatings  of  cement  are  unsuitable,  and  very  expensive  to  keep 
in  repair.  There  is  nothing  in  the  external  appearance  of  this 
building  which  suggests  ideas  of  false  luxury  or  a  vain  desire 
of  mere  show. 

We  must  especially  notice  the  manner  in  which  the  bricks 
are  laid  as  far  as  the  first  floor.  They  are  placed  so  that  their 
joints  intersect  each  other  only  at  intervals  of  two  rows,  thus 
producing  cubes  with  the  angles  levelled  off,  and  giving  them 
the  appearance  of  polygons  of  eight  sides,  interrupted  by  a  con- 
tinuous line  of  bricks  of  a  different  color.  The  effect  thus  pro- 
duced is  original,  and  corresponds,  much  better  than  a  level 
surface  would,  with  the  ornamental  parts  of  the  string-courses 
and  of  the  upper  cornice. 

This  dwelling-house  is  agreeable  in  appearance,  and  comfort- 
able within.  It  would  not  satisfy  our  wants,  or  the  require- 
ments of  our  worldly  and  out-door  life,  but  it  must  be  exactly 
suited  to  people  accustomed  to  remain  at  home  and  enjoy  them- 
selves there,  and  not  to  seek  elsewhere  amusements  which  they 
can  find  in  the  bosom  of  their  family ;  in  fact,  persons  who  think 
more  of  the  conveniences  and  comfort  of  their  dwelling  than  of 
making  a  grand  appearance  and  dazzling  others. 

There  was  a  time  when  the  Danes,  being  under  the  influence 
of  French  manners  of  that  period,  endeavored  to  copy  them,  and 
had  succeeded  in  resembling  us ;  at  least,  so  far  as  a  Dane  can 
resemble  a  Frenchman.  The  relics  and  the  traces  of  that  far 
distant  time  are  still  to  be  found  in  the  large  mansions  of  Bred- 
ijade  or  Amaliencjade,  —  rich  dwelling-houses,  habitations  which 
required  a  large  household  of  servants,  and  involved  costly  ar- 
rangements and  expenses,  such  as  people  of  fortune  at  the  pres- 
ent day  can  with  but  few  exceptions  meet.  These  mansions, 
except  some  still  possessed  by  great  families  who  seldom  inhabit 


420  DENMAEK. 


them,  have  for  the  most  part  lost  their  original  appearance. 
The  facades  have  altered  in  character ;  the  interior  arrangements 
have  been  modified  and  adapted  to  the  necessities  and  require- 
ments of  our  more  simple  and  moderate  modern  life. 

We  may,  however,  even  now  ascertain  what  some  of  them 
formerly  were,  and  sketch  out,  not  the  facades,  the  exaggerated 
rococo  of  which  was  their  greatest  defect,  but  the  ground-plan, 
which  will  afford  a  curious  study  for  an  architect,  not  only  in  its 
general  distribution,  but  in  the  details. 

We  give,  in  Fig.  206,  the  plan  of  the  ground-floor  of  one  of 
these  interiors. 

Two  large  carriage  entrances  open  into  the  principal  courtyard 
(1) ;  the  carriages  pass  under  a  porch  before  the  door,  which  can 
be  closed  at  each  end,  and  then  the  coach  or  sledge,  according  as 
the  season  may  be,  leaves  the  court  by  a  second  door,  and  passes 
in  a  passage  (23)  leading  to  a  covered  space  (25)  where  both 
horses  and  drivers  are  sheltered  from  the  cold.  The  visitors 
enter  the  door  of  the  vestibule,  before  which  there  are  no  steps, 
so  that  when  they  quit  their  carriage  they  pass  into  the  house 
on  the  same  level.  When  the  guest  comes  on  foot,  or  leaves  his 
carriage  in  the  street,  he  enters  the  door  (2),  goes  through  a  cov- 
ered passage,  where  he  is  out  of  the  way  of  the  carriages,  and, 
ascending  a  few  steps,  meets  in  the  vestibule  those  who  have 
driven.  The  servants  assist  their  masters  to  take  off  their  furs, 
and  wait  for  them  in  a  cloak-room  (7),  while  the  ladies  arrange 
their  toilet  in  a  private  dressing-room  (8),  furnished  with  wash- 
hand  stands  and  conveniences  (13).  Two  large  doors  open  from 
the  vestibule  to  the  drawing-rooms  (10).  If  there  is  a  fete  or  a 
grand  reception,  the  hosts  remain  in  the  first  drawing-room  to 
receive  their  guests,  who  enter  this  drawing-room  and  pass 
through  the  smaller  one  into  the  ball-room  (9),  at  the  farther 
end  of  which  is  a  bay  projecting  into  the  garden,  which  senses 
for  the  orchestra,  and  is  approached  by  a  separate  staircase. 
The  dining-room  (11)  is  close  by  the  drawing-room  used  on 
ordinary  occasions.     These  three  apartments,  —  the  dining-room 


COPENHAGEN. 


421 


and   two  drawing-rooms  —  communicate  with  each  other,  and 
with  a  conservatory  opening  to  the  garden,  to  which  you'  may 


''■■'■' 


ft  5  10  20. M- 

Fig.  206.  —  Ground-plan  of  a  Private  Mansion. 

descend  by  an  inner  staircase.     The  grand  staircase  opens  to  the 
vestibule.     By  passing  under  the  second  flight  you  reach  a  pas- 


422 


DENMARK 


sage  (14)  separating  the  apartments  destined  for  the  use  of  the 
family  from  the  part  allotted  to  the  servants^  Avhich  comprise  an 
office  (18),  a  kitchen  (21),  with  the  scullery  (19),  and  pantry 
(20),  the  lamp-room  (17),   the   servants'  haU  (15),  a  room  for 


J\f 


S ^0 J3 ^20  MV 

ng.  207.  —Plan  of  First  Floor. 


cleaning  shoes  and  brushing  clothes  (16),  as  well  as  the  back 
staircase  leading  to  every  stor}^  A  door  (22)  leads  from  the 
kitchen  to  the  stable-yard,  so  that  tradesmen  and  servants  do 
not  use  the  principal  entrance. 

The  side  building  includes  the  porter's  lodge  (3),  placed  so  as 


COPENHAGEN. 


423 


to  command  the  principal  courtyard  and  the  stable-yard ;  stab- 
ling for  six  horses  (27),  a  coach-house  (28),  a  harness-room  (29), 
and  closets  (13) ;  the  garden  is  at  the  back. 

The  first  floor  (Fig.  207)  contains  the  upper  part  of  the  hall 
or  vestibule  (31),  from  which  you  gain  access  to  the  gallery  of 
the  ball-room  (32) ;  then  comes  a  suite  of  apartments  composed 
of  a  work-room  (33),  a  bedroom  (34),  dressing-room  (35),  and  a 
small  room  beyond ;  an  open  gallery  passing  round  the  staircase 
leads  to  the  bedrooms  (34),  with  dressing-rooms  (35). 

The  upper  story  contains  the  still-rooms,  the  secondary  apart- 
ments, and  the  servants'  rooms. 


Fig.  208.  — Interior  of  Drawing-room  and  Anteroom. 


It  can  easily  be  seen  by  these  plans  how  well  a  mansion,  con- 
structed in  such  a  manner,  is  suited  to  the  requirements  of  a 
wealthy  and  luxurious  family,  and  how  its  resources  would  sat- 
isfy all  the  expensive  tastes,  and  contribute  to  the  enjoyments, 
of  those  who  inhabit  it.  How  many  of  our  private  hotels  in 
Paris  are  less  conveniently  arranged,  and  how  much  more  con- 
fined and  insignificant  they  appear  in  comparison  with  it ! 

The  decoration  of  these  interiors  is  in  keeping  with  the  gen- 
eral arrangements  w^hich  we  have  described.  Fig.  208  gives  the 
view  of  a  drawing-room  and  of  its  anteroom.  The  ceilings  are 
formed  of  open  rafters  connected  by  transverse  joists,  so  as  to 


424  DENMARK. 


form  compartments,  each  having  a  centre-piece  of  carved  wood 
touched  up  with  gold  and  color.  The  walls  are  covered  with 
tapestry,  and  on  the  floor  there  are  rich  carpets.  All  the  out- 
lines and  details  are  heavy ;  the  ornaments  are  deficient  in  grace 
and  delicacy ;  the  w^ood,  w^hich  forms  the  principal  part  of  the 
construction,  is  by  no  means  stinted ;  it  is  varied  in  a  hundred 
ways.  We  find  here  the  decorations  of  our  Louis  XY.  archi- 
tecture, applied  by  those  who  strove  to  exaggerate  their  efiects. 

Other  buildings  at  Copenhagen  are  worth  visiting,  but  they 
are  too  often  only  souvenirs  of  foreign  habits  and  forms,  and  we 
only  wished  to  notice  those  whose  internal  arrangements  and 
external  appearance  showed  something  different  from  our  own, 
which  it  would  be  useful  to  particularize.  There,  as  elsewhere, 
however,  commonplace  buildings  are  by  no  means  rare,  and  we 
did  not  think  it  would  be  interesting  to  describe  them. 


ELSINORE.  425 


ELSINORE    (HELSINGCER). 

THE  COPENHAGEN  STATION. -THE  COUNTRY. -ELSINORE. -THE  TOWN  HALL- 

THE  KROONBORG. 

WE  scarcely  looked  at  the  Copenhagen  station  on  the  day 
of  our  arrival ;  but  to-day  we  had  time  to  examine  it, 
and  we  made  great  use  of  the  opportunities  that  were  afforded 
us  to  go  in  and  out  as  we  pleased,  for  before  the  hour  of  depart- 
ure unfortunate  travellers  are  not  obliged  to  spend  some  time 
cooped  up  within  a  waiting-room. 

The  building  is  ninety-two  feet  long ;  it  is  covered  with  large 
timber  vaults  resting  on  granite  pillars,  raised  thirteen  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  ground;  this  arched  roof  is  formed  of 
many  boards  nailed  round  the  arches  on  the  flat,  while  other 
small  bevelled  planks  forming  voussoirs  are  fastened  edgeways 
to  these.  This  double  combination  of  boards,  both  edgeways 
and  on  the  flat,  offers  great  resistance,  which  is  still  more  in- 
creased by  a  succession  of  ties  in  the  shape  of  a  St.  Andrew's 
cross,  connecting  the  different  parts  so  as  to  enable  them  to 
resist  the  force  of  the  wind,  and  to  bind  them  firmly  together. 

Doors  and  windows  give  means  of  access  to  the  various  ofiices 
along  the  bays  on  each  side.  On  the  upper  part  of  the  roof  is 
l^laced  a  lantern,  resting  on  the  spandrels  of  the  arches,  and 
affording  at  the  same  time  suflicient  light  and  ventilation;  a 
narrow  pathway  running  round  the  base  of  this  lantern  is  con- 
venient for  necessary  repairs. 

The  waiting-rooms,  refreshment-buffets,  ticket-offices,  and 
cloak-rooms  are  entirely  lined  with  varnished  deal,  touched  up 


426  DENMARK. 


with  colored,  stripes.  The  joists  of  the  ceiling  are  exposed,  and 
the  whole  building  has  an  air  of  order  and  neatness,  which  it 
gives  one  pleasure  to  see. 

The  travellers  and  their  friends  crowd  on  the  platform ;  the 
former  take  their  seats,  while  the  others,  who  remain  behind, 
cling  on  to  the  doors  and  the  steps.  Scarcely  can  they  make 
up  their  minds  to  get  down,  when  the  %va,m  moves  on,  and  even 
then  they  strive  to  keep  up  with  it,  rushing  as  fast  as  they  can, 
and  crying  "  Favel !  Favel ! "  (a  pleasant  journey  and  good  luck 
to  you).  When  their  breath  fails,  they  stop,  and  we  go  on  our 
way. 

In  a  few  moments  we  notice  that  our  presence  excites  the 
curiosity  of  our  travelling  companions.  They  had  previously 
ascertained  by  our  guide-books  that  we  were  not  Prussians,  but 
Frenchmen.  Those  who  were  next  to  us  made  known  this  dis- 
covery to  the  others  at  the  farther  end  of  the  compartment. 
They  addressed  us  in  Danish,  and  seemed  disappointed  that 
they  were  not  understood.  Then 'they  spoke  to  each  other, 
and  clubbed  together  their  French  to  form  the  sentence  that 
they  wished  to  say;  and  at  last  the  orator  of  the  company, 
after  having  several  times  repeated  his  speech  to  himself  in  a 
low  voice,  said,  with  an  expression  which  would  have  been 
laughable  if  it  had  manifested  a  feeling  less  flattering  to  us 
and  less  sincere  on  their  part,  "  We  Danes  all  like  the  French 
very  much."  "  And  we  Frenchmen,"  we  replied  at  once,  "  like 
the  Danes  very  much."  And  then  they  began  to  shake  hands 
with  us,  and  to  utter  protestations  of  friendship  aiid  affection 
in  Danish,  the  meaning  of  which  our  imagination  enabled  us 
to  guess,  though  our  ignorance  forbade  us  to  understand.  These 
good  people  alighted,  each  in  his  turn  bidding  us  the  warmest 
and  most  touching  farewells.  The  last  who  left  us  was  a  young 
officer,  with  a  heavy  and  constrained  gait  and  manner,  perhaps 
a  little  shy,  who  understood  a  few  Avords  of  French.  He  asked 
us  what  business  brought  us  into  his  country.  "  Nothing,"  we 
replied,  "but  to  see  and  know  it."     He  made  us  repeat  this 


ELSINORE.  427 


answer,  which  seemed  to  surprise  and  flatter  him.  We  asked 
him  in  our  turn  if  he  knew  Paris,  and  if  he  would  not  soon  visit 
it.  The  supposition  that  he  would  go  to  Paris  made  him  laugh 
exceedingly,  but  he  would  not  listen  to  such  a  proposal.  "  The 
French  would  laugh  at  me  too  much,"  he  said  more  than  once. 
It  was  impossible  to  divest  him  of  this  notion,  and  he  left  us 
with  the  conviction,  alas  I  too  often  entertained,  that  we  are  all 
in  France  unmerciful  quizzes. 

As  we  approached  Elsinore,  the  landscape  changed,  and  as- 
sumed a  character  of  entire  sadness  and  solitude.  The  plains 
of  peat-bog,  strangely  intersected  by  narrow  ditches  cut  for  the 
sake  of  irrigation,  and  resembling  lines  of  ink,  and  the  naked 
and  barren  plains,  give  place  to  gloomy  and  mysterious  forests 
of  beech-trees.  The  first  north-winds  of  autumn  bring  down 
the  leaves  from  the  trees,  and  drive  them  along  the  ground  with 
a  low  rustling  sound.  Seen  here  and  there  among  the  scattered 
trunks  is  some  peasant's  cottage,  either  red  or  blue ;  some  char- 
coal-burner's hut,  dark  and  smoky ;  and  in  a  hollow  road,  sunk 
deeply  in  the  mud  at  the  foot  of  an  ash,  a  heavily  loaded  cart 
is  struggling.  The  sunbeams  penetrate  through  the  branches; 
the  rays  brighten  the  tops  of  the  trees,  and  gild  the  faded  leaves 
heaped  on  the  ground  beneath.  A  few  birds  pass  over  our 
heads,  uttering  long  shrill  cries ;  but  in  all  this  district  there 
is  no  sonof,  no  human  voice ;  nothing-  is  heard  but  the  wind 
among  the  trees  and  the  waves  on  the  shore.  An  indefinable 
sadness,  a  sweet  melancholy,  comes  over  us  before  we  are  aware, 
and  we  feel  how  profound  must  be  the  impression  made  by  the 
continual  sight  of  such  scenes  as  these,  —  a  feeling  so  true  and 
so  deep,  that  even  the  inhabitants  themselves  are  not  unaware 
of  it,  and  the  word  veemocl,  by  which  they  express  it,  cannot  be 
translated  into  any  other  language. 

We  alighted  from  the  railway  before  we  reached  Elsinore, 
that  we  might  lose  nothing  of  the  scenes  and  landscapes  that 
were  passing  before  our  eyes  in  a  succession  which  is  not  fa- 
tiguing, in  spite  of  its  monotony.     The  distance  was  short,  and 


428  DENMARK. 


yet  we  were  a  long  time  in  traversing  it.  At  last  there  appeared 
before  us  a  little  town,  looking  bleak  and  silent,  with  glittering 
red  roofs.  It  is  almost  entirely  surrounded  by  water,  and  ter- 
minated in  the  distance,  at  the  narrowest  part  of  the  strait,  by 
the  gloomy  Kroonborg. 

Three  things  attract  the  traveller  to  Elsinore;  the  tomb  of 
Hamlet,  the  river  in  which  "  Ophelia  with  her  weedy  trophies 
fell  in  the  weeping  brook,"  and  the  inscription  scratched  on  a 
pane  of  glass  by  the  unfortunate  Caroline  Matilda :  "  My  God, 
let  me  be  innocent,  and  others  great." 

Hamlet's  tomb  is  no  longer  in  existence ;  Ophelia's  river  is 
dry ;  and  Caroline  Matilda's  pane  of  glass  is  broken. 

Notwithstanding  this  threefold  deception,  perhaps  on  account 
of  it,  Elsinore  has  left  recollections  which  it  is  pleasant  for  us 
to  retrace. 

It  consists  of  a  large  street  parallel  to  the  sea ;  secondary 
roads  lead  on  one  side  to  the  harbor,  and  on  the  other  to  the 
country.  In  one  of  the  most  important  of  these  are  the  houses 
of  the  consuls.  Large  escutcheons  fastened  to  the  front  of  these 
buildings  give  them  an  unusual  appearance ;  you  might  almost 
imagine  yourself  to  be  in  Spain.  A  little  farther  on  the  road 
widens,  and  forms  a  narrow  square,  in  which  is  the  Town  Hall. 
There  was  not  depth  enough  in  the  space  allotted  for  it,  so  that 
it  was  necessary  to  extend  the  building  lengthwise,  so  as  not  to 
encroach  upon  the  square,  and  to  preserve  in  front  sufficient 
space  and  ventilation. 

The  building  has  undergone  modifications  in  many  parts, 
though  it  appears  never  to  have  been  completely  finished ;  but 
still  we  can  easily  understand  its  appearance  and  general  plan 
(Fig.  209). 

It  is  built  of  bricks  and  red  granite,  the  tone  of  which 
matches  most  happily  that  of  the  bricks.  The  external  ar- 
rangement of  the  structure  perfectly  agrees  with  that  of  the 
interior,  being  clearly  indicated  by  well-defined  lines  on  the 
outside.     There  is  considerable  variety  in  the  size  of  the  win- 


Fig.  209. 


ELSINORE. 


431 


dows,  which  are  small  and  narrow  when  intended  to  give  light 
to  a  room  of  little  importance,  but  large,  high,  and  double  when 
they  open  on  a  hall  of  greater  dimensions.  It  is  deficient  in  its 
details  and  in  the  ornamental  portions,  but  it  is  an  edifice  in- 
tended to  brave  a  severe  climate,  frost,  snow,  and  frequent  rains. 
Delicate  sculptured  ornaments  would  have  had  little  chance  of 
withstanding  these,  and  it  w^as  wiser  in  the  architect  to  give  all 
his  attention  to  the  choice  of  materials,  the  method  of  employ- 
ing them,  and  the  study  of  the  due  proportions  of  tlie  different 
parts  of  the  building. 


w=^ 

J^ 

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fi 

a. 

10 

11 

1         ^ 

5 
B        EBB 

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m   B 

1 T* 

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7 

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■.ra:z.-.^--v. 


Fig.  210.  —  Ground-plan  of  Town  Hall,  Elsinore. 


AVe  notice  in  the  interior  the  same  moderation  and  the  same 
combinations  quietly  and  wxll  carried  out. 

We  have  thought  it  best  to  preserve,  in  our  description  of  the 
various  apartments  in  this  Town  Hall,  the  same  terms  as  are 
used  among  ourselves,  instead  of  those  common  in  Denmark, 
w^hich  would  not  perhaps  be  equally  intelligible. 

The  principal  entrance  (Fig.  210)  is  under  a  porch  (1)  shel- 
tering two  of  the  steps,  the  rest  being  within  the  vestibule.  No. 
2  is  a  large  room  serving  for  election  meetings,  for  political 
assemblies,  and  markets  of  a  special  nature.  A  small  staircase 
connects  this  room  with  the  inner  hall  (4).  The  hall-keeper's 
apartments  are  in  No.  3.     No.  5  is  the  police-office,  and  in  No. 


432 


DENMARK, 


6  an  office  for  the  relief  of  the  poor.  There  is  a  private  entrance 
(7)  for  those  who  wish  to  transact  business  with  the  post-office 
and  the  telegraph ;  a  small  waiting-room  (7)  is  attached  to  it. 
On  one  side  is  the  telegraph-office,  ISTo.  8,  and  on  the  other  the 
post-office,  No.  9.  No.  10  is  for  the  clerks,  and  No.  11  for  the 
director.  A  principal  and  a  back  staircase  lead  to  the  first  floor 
(Fig.  211),  on  which  is  a  robing-room  (12)  for  the  use  of  the 
communal  councillors.  -This  is  of  large  dimensions;  for  during 
the  winter  they  hang  up  there  their  furred  robes  and  long 
pelisses,  which  are  used  instead  of  our  more  moderate  overcoats. 
Above  this  room  is  a  gallery  reserved  for  certain  clerks  whose 


'p'  '  '  '  -s ro ^15  M'=? 

Fig.  211.  —  Town  Hall,  Elsinore.    First  Floor. 


presence  is  necessary  during  the  sittings  in  the  council-chamber. 
This  large  room  (13)  is  covered  by  a  ceiling  formed  of  planks 
of  fir,  the  junctions  of  which  are  concealed  by  unions ;  the  ex- 
posed surfaces  are  varnished  and  surrounded  by  bands  of  color. 
By  the  side  of  this  hall  opens  a  smaller  one  (14),  serving  as  an 
anteroom,  in  front  of  which  is  a  balcony  built  over  the  entrance- 
door.  This  balcony  is  used  for  official  addresses  to  the  public, 
and  as  a  speaker  would  lose  much  of  his  prestige  if  he  were 
exposed  to  the  sun  or  protected  by  an  umbrella,  a  small  pro- 


ELSINORE. 


433 


jecting  roof  screens  him  from  the  weather.  The  cabinet  of  the 
first  minister  is  in  15,  his  secretary's  office  is  in  No.  16,  the 
civil-service  offices  (17),  and  the  tax-offices  (18).     A  very  long 


Fig.  212.  — Interior.    First  Floor. 

and  rather  dark  passage,  although  it  receives  borrowed  light 
from  each  end,  leads  to  the  clerks'  offices  (No.  19),  to  those  of 
the  architect  (No.  20),  and  to  the  muniment-room  (No.  21). 


434  DENMARK. 


This  is  the  only  public  building  within  the  town.  The  dwell- 
ing-chouses resemble  those  which  we  have  already  seen  at  Copen- 
hagen, and  it  would  be  of  no  use  to  describe  them ;  but  there 
is  one  point  to  which  we  ought  to  allude,  —  the  difficulty  which 
a  foreigner  finds  in  making  himself  understood.  As  for  our- 
selves, had  it  not  been  for  a  few  English  words  which  a  sailor 
of  that  nation,  who  was  sleeping  off  the  effects  of  his  gin  in  the 
corner  of  a  tavern,  was  able  to  translate  for  us,  we  ran  a  great 
risk  of  dying  of  hunger,  and  of  not  being  able  to  procure  food 
and  shelter  in  the  Hotel  du  Xord,  the  French  sign  placed  out- 
side of  which  is  the  cause  of  many  a  bitter  deception  to  the 
unfortunate  traveller  who  is  compelled  to  knock  at  the  door. 

An  illusion,  of  which  all  Frenchmen  are  too  readily  the  vic- 
tims, is  to  fancy  that  "our  beautiful  language"  is  everywhere 
spoken  and  understood.  This  is  a  great  mistake.  French  is,  in 
fact,  in  all  countries,  the  language  of  men  of  the  world,  of  diplo- 
macy, and  of  elegance ;  and  it  is  very  rare  for  a  Frenchman  to 
find  himself  in  any  drawing-room,  wherever  he  may  chance  to 
be,  and  not  to  meet  with  those  who  can  converse  with  him ;  but 
in  a  foreign  country  the  traveller  who  wishes  to  see  and  to 
learn  passes  most  of  his  time  in  the  street  among  persons  of  an 
entirely  different  character.  If,  therefore,  he  cannot  readily 
comprehend  what  is  said  by  those  about  him,  and  if  he  cannot 
make  his  wishes  known,  he  is  liable  to  great  inconvenience  and 
unpleasant  mistakes,  and  is  often  exposed  to  serious  embarrass- 
ment if  he  can  express  himself  only  in  his  mother  tongue. 

When  we  have  passed  along  the  long  street  which  runs 
through  the  town,  we  reach  the  harbor,  —  that  is  to  say,  the 
point  where  the  street  is  narrowest,  and  is,  at  its  extremity 
on  the  Danish  side,  terminated  by  the  Kroonborg. 

The  navioation  of  the  Sound  is  danf^erous.  The  coasts  of 
Sweden  and  those  of  Denmark,  on  each  side,  bristle  with  reefs, 
and  rocks  at  the  water  level,  and  abound  in  fearful  shoals,  which 
are  difficult  to  avoid  durinc^  foo-fry  nio-hts,  when  the  winds  blow 
from  the  icy  lands  of  Xorway.     In  order  to  prevent  shipwrecks 


ELSINOKE.  435 


and  disasters,  —  formerly  so  commou  here,  —  tlie  Dauisli  gov- 
ernment erected  lightliouses  on  the  coast  at  the  most  dangerous 
points ;  and,  to  cover  the  expense  of  their  first  construction  and 
of  repairs,  they  demanded  from  all  ships  passing  through  the 
Sound  a  toll,  which  was  paid  till  1857,  when  the  maritime 
powers  united  to  redeem  it.  In  order  to  compel  the  payment 
of  these  dues,  Frederick  II.  built  in  1574,  at  the  narrowest  part 
of  the  strait,  a  fort,  whose  guns  might  command  the  entrance  of 
the  Sound. 

This  fort,  surrounded  by  fortifications  formerly  very  formida- 
ble, is  the  Kroonborg  (the  castle  of  the  crown),  Fig.  213. 

We  enter  the  Kroonborg,  which  has  some  resemblance  to  an 
inn.  The  sentries  allow  us  to  go  wherever  we  please,  to  look  at 
the  guns,  to  count  the  balls,  to  mount  on  the  ramparts,  and  go 
down  into  the  ditches.  This  fortress,  formerly  so  formidable,  is 
much  changed  in  appearance,  and  no  longer  to  be  feared.  An 
ironclad,  armed  with  guns  of  long  range,  would  easily  silence  it. 
The  Danish  government  is  so  convinced  of  its  weakness  that  it 
no  longer  pretends  to  conceal  the  fact.  It  prefers  —  a  far  wiser 
plan  —  to  study  the  best  means  of  remedying  it.  The  Kroon- 
borg can  never  have  been  so  formidable  as  it  was  said  to  be,  for, 
being  commanded  by  the  neighboring  hills  on  the  land  side,  it 
could  not  have  provided  against  a  surprise ;  and  enemies  who 
wished  to  take  possession  of  it  might,  instead  of  attacking  it  by 
sea,  have  landed  some  troops  a  little  farther  to  the  westward,  on 
the  shores  of  the  Cattegat,  and  thus  carried  it  by  assault  in  the 
rear. 

The  Kroonborg,  therefore,  possesses  no  longer  any  interest 
except  that  which  arises  from  its  picturesque  situation  and  its 
historical  claims. 

We  ascended  to  the  top  of  the  high  tower.  At  the  farther 
end  of  the  Strait,  lost  in  the  fog,  was  Copenhagen ;  somewhat 
nearer,  the  island  of  Hveen,  where  the  illustrious  astronomer, 
Tycho  Brahe,  built  his  observatory  and  passed  twenty  years 
of  his  life.     Still  closer,  and  resembling  immense  black  spots, 


436  DENMARK. 


almost  lost  in  the  horizon,  are  beech-forests,  whose  lofty 
branches  are  incessantly  swaying  hither  and  thither  in  the 
wind,  with  a  grand,  monotonous,  and  regular  sound.  Opposite 
are  the  coasts  of  Sweden,  bordered  by  a  fringe  of  white  foam, 
which  clearly  defines  their  outlines ;  the  Sound,  with  its  innu- 
merable ships,  some  surmounted  by  a  crest  of  smoke,  which  loses 
itself  in  the  clouds ;  others,  hidden  under  their  sails  swollen  by 
the  wind,  reminding  us  of  the  wings  of  some  gigantic  bird. 
Close  at  hand,  Elsinore,  with  its  red  houses  scattered  along  the 
shore,  its  lively  harbor,  and  the  flags  of  the  consuls  flapping  in 
the  air ;  and  then,  directly  beneath  us,  the  enormous  dark-brown 
roof  of  the  castle,  and  its  innocent  works,  which  Xelson  braved, 
without  danger,  in  1801,  when  he  went,  with  his  fleet,  to  bom- 
bard Copenhagen.  The  sea^  is  of  a  go'eenish  blue ;  the  sky  is 
gray,  but  the  transparent  and  limpid  gray  of  the  Xorth.  Xature 
has  here  impressed  upon  it  a  character  of  grandeur  and  severity 
that  cannot  be  described.  These  Northern  countries  produce 
effects  entirely  different  from  those  to  which  we  are  accustomed 
in  the  sky  of  the  South.  Everything  is  more  calm,  sweet,  and 
sad.  The  contrasts  are  less  striking ;  they  harmonize  in  tones 
less  intense  and  more  softened  down;  but  the  emotion  which 
they  cause  is  not  less  vivid,  and  leaves  traces  as  lasting  and 
deep  as  those  produced  by  the  aspect  of  a  country  more  highly 
favored  and  more  richly  endowed. 

In  the  interior  of  the  castle  are  a  chapel,  used  for  a  long  time 
as  a  store  for  hay,  and  some  large  rooms,  for  the  most  j^art  in 
bad  repair,  in  which  Hamlet's  ghost  no  longer  wanders.  One 
of  these  served  as  the  prison  of  the  beautiful  Caroline  Matilda. 
Here  she  was  confined,  after  having  been  carried  off,  in  the  midst 
of  a  fete,  from  her  palace  of  Christianborg ;  and  she  remained  a 
prisoner  in  this  gloomy  castle,  exposed  to  the  blasts  of  every 
wind,  in  front  of  that  dark  Northern  sea  covered  with  ice  and 
snow ;  and  here  she  passed  long  months  in  the  sad  recollection 
that  she  had  been  a  queen,  and  that,  alas !  she  had  also  been  a 
woman. 


)  -if. 


ELSINORE.  439 


On  that  day,  say  the  chroniclers  of  the  time,  the  sun  had,  for 
a  few  minutes,  pierced  through  the  chilly  winter  mist.  The 
queen  wished  to  go  out,  mounted  on  horseback  in  man's  dress, 
as  was  her  custom.  She  wore  riding-boots,  and  a  long  pelisse, 
and  had  her  beautiful  hair  hidden  under  a  fur  cap.  Never  had 
she  looked  so  high-spirited  or  so  charming.  As  usual,  Struen- 
see  attended  her.  When  they  passed  the  palace  gates,  a  hand, 
the  queen-mother's,  raised  a  curtain,  and  pointed  out  to  Chris- 
tian this  gay,  young,  happy  pair. 

Christian  and  his  mother  exchanged  a  dark  glance.  With- 
out a  single  word  having  been  spoken,  they  understood  each 
other. 

Struensee  and  his  mistress,  when  once  at  liberty,  dashed  off 
at  full  gallop  along  the  avenues  of  Frederiksborg.  The  hair  of 
the  queen,  unfastened  by  the  rsqDidity  with  which  she  rode, 
flowed  down  upon  her  shoulders.  Struensee  secured  it  again, 
and  on  the  hardened  snow,  over  which  they  were  riding,  there 
were  to  be  seen,  the  next  day,  the  traces  of  their  horses'  shoes 
close  together  confounded  with  each  other.  Then  they  returned, 
thinking  only  of  their  love,  and  paying  no  heed  to  the  dark  and 
angry  looks  of  the  common  people  whom  they  met  in  the  way, 
who  were  enraged  at  the  queen's  disregard  of  appearances,  and 
the  favor  which  she  lavished  on  a  foreigner. 

In  the  evening  there  was  a  ball  at  the  palace ;  one  of  those 
fetes  then  given  at  the  Northern  courts,  where  the  love  of  pleas- 
ure and  sensual  gratification  knew  neither  restraint  nor  limit. 
Caroline  Matilda  was  radiant  with  grace  and  beauty.  Struen- 
see, always  at  her  side,  confident  in  her  favor,  saw  on  the  fea- 
tures of  the  king  no  trace  of  the  terrible  passions  which  agitated 
his  mind.  The  assembly  came  to  an  end.  Then  there  was  a 
great  tumult,  followed  by  a  deep  silence.  The  queen,  dragged 
from  her  apartments,  was  hurried  along  the  road  to  Elsinore,  and 
shut  up  in  the  fortress.  Struensee  was  arrested  and  carried  be- 
fore his  judges. 

Shortly  after,  a  scaffold  was  raised  on  the  esplanade  of  Tester- 


440  DENMARK. 


bro.  Sitruensee  was  beheaded,  and  the  queeu  went  as  an  exile 
to  Hanover,  to  die.^ 

The  weather  is  so  fine,  and  the  air  so  pure,  that  we  are  about 
to  make  an  excursion  by  sea.  We  embark  at  the  extremity  of  a 
small  fjord,  near  a  house  which  can  be  distinguished  from  a  dis- 
tance by  a  flag  floating  at  the  top  of  a  mast. 

This  is  a  life-boat  station,  where  brave  men  are  always  at 
hand  to  carry  assistance  to  vessels  in  peril  on  this  coast,  so  dan- 
gerous during  the  foggy  days  of  spring  and  autumn.  Skilful 
fishermen  and  hardy  sailors,  they  live  here  alone,  w^ithout  any 
other  amusement  than  fishing,  which  is  their  main  support. 

We  find  the  house  occupied  by  its  usual  inhabitants,  who 
come  forward  eagerly  to  do  the  honors.  A  veranda  serves  as  a 
place  of  shelter  for  the  life-boat,  with  the  rigging  and  their  nets. 
The  outer  door  opens  on  a  large  room  (Fig.  214).  All  round  it 
are  low,  wide  seats,  covered  with  furs;  while  hanging  on  the 
walls  are  fishing  utensils  and  garments  for  daily  use.  In  the 
middle  is  a  large  stove,  open  on  all  four  sides,  filled  with  blaz- 
ing turf,  a  good  supply  of  which  is  stored  without.  In  this  hall 
the  men  meet  before  their  expeditions,  and  hither  they  bring 
their  fish  and  prepare  it.  In  this  room  they  pass  those  long 
days,  when  the  storm  roars  without,  and  tells  liiat  their  assist- 
ance may  be  needed.  A  man  must,  indeed,  be  vigorously  con- 
stituted, both  in  body  and  mind,  who  can  pass  his  life  in  such  a 
solitude,  without  any  other  excitement  than  the  remembrance 
of  past  dangers  and  the  apprehension  of  those  that  are  to  come. 

From  this  hall  —  whose  heioht  extends  throu£!;h  the  oround- 
floor,  the  first  story,  and  a  part  of  the  roof — an  inner  open 
staircase  leads  to  the  story  standing  only  over  that  portion  of 
the  house  above  the  veranda.  This  contains  two  bedrooms. 
The  occasional  guests,  who  are  brought  hither  by  the  storm, 
sleep  in  the  large  room,  on  camp-beds  arranged  there. 

1  Caroline  Matilda  was  sister  to  George  III.  of  England.  After  her  divorce 
the  British  Court  gave  her  a  residence  at  Celle,  in  Hanover,  where  she  died  in 
1773. —Tr. 


ELSINORE 


441 


The  building  is  solidly  constructed.  Blocks  of  granite,  thrown 
up  by  the  sea,  form  the  masonry  of  the  walls,  the  thickness  of 
which  defends  the  interior  from  the  high  winds  so  common  on 
this  coast,  and  the  damp,  w^hich,  in  these  latitudes,  is  so  danger- 
ous. On  the  roof  are  to  be  seen  the  traditional  carved  beams, 
with  ends  formed  like  the  prows  of  a  ship,  a  souvenir  of  those 


i.  rojitAjz/xswyrz 


Fig.  214.  — Life-boat  Station,  Elsinore. 


maritime  people  who  w^ished  to  have,,  even  in  their  dw^elling  on 
dry  land,  a  remembrance  of  the  vessels  in  which  every  day  they 
risked  their  lives. 

We  returned  on  foot,  to  pay  a  last  farewell  to  the  Zealand 
landscape ;  and,  wdien  the  evening  came  on,  we  found  ourselves 
at  the  foot  of  the  Kroonborg,  at  the  end  of  the  cape  which  pro- 
jects into  the  strait.     The  country  all  around  w^as  infinitely  sad 


442  DENMARK. 


and  melancholy ;  under  our  feet  was  a  bed  of  fine,  rose-colored 
sand,  glittering  with  particles  of  mica  as  the  stormy  waves 
dashed  over  it,  the  crest  of  each  sparkling  in  the  rays  of  the  set- 
ting sun. 

Fading  in  the  distance,  on  the  Swedish  coast,  were  the  moun- 
tains of  Kiaden,  formerly  considered  the  extreme  boundaries  of 
the  world;  the  nearest  are  low  and  verdant  at  their  base,  but 
soon  become  rough  and  craggy,  defended  by  lofty  crests  of  red 
granite.  The  Sound  was  covered  with  ships  hastening  to  ac- 
complish their  voyage  before  the  approach  of  winter.  The  cold, 
white  sky,  streaked  with  sharp  and  strongly  defined  lines  of 
brightly  colored  clouds,  contrasted  strongly  with  the  greenish 
tints  of  the  sea.  Large  birds  were  sporting  on  the  waves,  utter- 
ing sharp  and  shrill  cries.  Immensity  opened  before  us;  be- 
yond us  was  the  new,  the  unknown,  with  the  seduction,  the 
attraction,  the  unrealizable  dreams  which  arise  in  the  imagina- 
tion of  every  traveller. 

Kight  was  coming  on,  —  one  of  those  strange  Xorthem  nights, 
full  of  soft  splendor  and  indefinite  forms.  The  coasts  were 
streaked  with  tints  graduated  from  the  most  intense  violet  to 
the  softest  opal.  The  sea  alone  was  still  bright,  and  its  hoarse 
murmur  silenced  all  sounds  ujDon  the  shore.  One  by  one  the 
sails  disappeared,  and  the  sea-birds  returned  rapidly  to  their 
nests.  The  moment  of  our  departure  was  come;  and  soon, 
standing  on  the  deck  of  the  vessel  that  was  bearing  us  away, 
we  watclied  the  last  faint  outlines  fading  into  the  darkness. 
The  lighthouses  shone  out  along  the  coast,  and  we  soon  lost 
sight  of  the  Island  of  Zealand,  the  extreme  point  of  Denmark,  a 
land  which  we  quitted  with  that  indefinable  impression  of  sad- 
ness, with  which  tlie  heart  of  a  man  is  always  filled,  when  he  is 
about  to  leave  a  country  which,  in  all  probability,  he  beholds  for 
the  last  time. 

THE   END. 


Cambridge :  Electrotyped  and  Printed  by  Welch,  Bigelow,  &  Co. 


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